Dry fly fishing on lakes and reservoirs can provide some of the most enjoyable trout fishing in the UK. Watching a trout rise through the water to take a fly from the surface is every bit as exciting as fishing a dry fly on a river.
Although the basic principle is the same, stillwater dry fly fishing presents different challenges.
Rather than dealing with river currents, anglers need to consider wind direction, surface drift, insect activity and the movement of feeding fish.
Successful stillwater dry fly fishing is often about **finding where trout are feeding, identifying what they are eating and presenting your flies naturally in the right area**.
## When Do Trout Feed on the Surface?
Trout in lakes and reservoirs feed at the surface when suitable food becomes available.
This commonly happens during insect hatches, although terrestrial insects blown onto the water can also encourage surface feeding.
Important food sources include:
- **Midges** - particularly emerging buzzers and adult midges.
- **Sedges** - adult caddisflies, often active during warmer evenings.
- **Upwinged flies** - including olives and other species found around stillwaters.
- **Terrestrial insects** - such as daddy long legs, hawthorn flies, ants and beetles.
Surface feeding can occur throughout much of the fishing season, although the most productive periods depend on the weather, water temperature and insects present.
Trout may rise confidently during a hatch, but at other times the signs of feeding can be extremely subtle.
## How to Recognise Surface-Feeding Trout
The most obvious sign is a trout rising and taking something from the surface.
However, not every disturbance means the fish is taking an adult insect.
Some trout produce gentle rings as they sip small insects from the surface film.
Others create bulges or swirls as they take emerging insects immediately beneath it.
Occasionally, a trout may move quickly across the surface while chasing active insects.
Look for:
- Small, repeated rise rings.
- Fish showing their noses at the surface.
- Subtle bulges just beneath the surface film.
- Trout moving along a feeding route.
- Concentrations of insects on the water.
It is worth watching several rises before deciding which fly to use.
A trout feeding on emerging buzzers may appear to be rising confidently but ignore a conventional dry fly floating high on the surface.
In this situation, an emerger or a pattern sitting low in the surface film may be more effective.
## Why Are Wind Lanes Important?
Wind lanes are among the most useful features to recognise when dry fly fishing on stillwaters.
They form when wind-driven surface currents bring floating material together, often creating visible lines of foam, bubbles or debris.
These lanes can also concentrate insects and other food.
**Where food collects, trout may follow.**
A wind lane may appear as a narrow strip of smoother water, a line of bubbles or a concentration of insects on the surface.
Trout often patrol these areas, picking off food as they move.
Rather than casting randomly across open water, look for wind lanes and spend time watching them.
If fish are rising along a particular lane, try to position yourself so your fly drifts naturally through it.
Wind lanes are not always productive, but they provide valuable clues about where surface food is collecting.
## Following Feeding Trout
Unlike trout holding in a relatively fixed position on a river, stillwater trout may travel considerable distances while feeding.
A fish might rise in one position, disappear and then rise again several metres away.
This can make it difficult to predict where to cast.
Rather than repeatedly casting at the last rise, watch the fish and try to identify its direction of travel.
Some trout follow a fairly consistent feeding route, particularly when insects are concentrated along a wind lane or shoreline.
If you can establish this pattern, try placing your fly ahead of the fish rather than directly onto the rise.
Allow the artificial to settle and wait for the trout to approach.
**Casting to where a fish is going is often more effective than casting to where it has just been.**
## What If a Trout Stops Rising?
If a trout has been rising regularly and suddenly disappears, resist the temptation to keep casting at the same spot.
The fish may have moved, temporarily stopped feeding or become wary.
Pause and watch the water.
Often, a feeding trout will reappear, giving you another opportunity to establish its direction of travel and make a careful presentation.
Repeated casting can disturb the area and reduce your chances.
Patience and observation are particularly valuable when targeting individual rising trout on calm stillwaters.
## Dry Fly Fishing from the Bank
Bank fishing can provide excellent dry fly opportunities, particularly where trout patrol margins, drop-offs and areas where insects collect.
One advantage of bank fishing is that you can remain stationary and observe feeding activity without the movement of a boat.
Look for:
- Wind lanes within casting distance.
- Sheltered bays where insects collect.
- Margins with overhanging vegetation.
- Areas where trout are rising regularly.
- Drop-offs close to the bank.
- Shorelines where the wind carries insects onto the water.
Don't assume that fish are always farther out.
Trout may feed surprisingly close to the bank, especially when insects are concentrated in the margins.
Before wading or making a long cast, spend time watching the water immediately in front of you.
## Dry Fly Fishing from a Boat
Boat fishing allows anglers to reach areas that may be inaccessible from the bank.
It can be particularly useful when trout are feeding along distant wind lanes or across open water.
However, the movement of the boat introduces another consideration.
As the boat drifts, it can pull the fly line and leader, causing the artificial to move unnaturally.
The angler must manage the line carefully to maintain a natural presentation.
Depending on the conditions, a boat may be allowed to drift with the wind or held in position using an anchor, subject to fishery rules.
When fishing from a drifting boat, it is important to consider how the boat's movement affects the flies.
A natural-looking presentation may require allowing sufficient slack or retrieving line carefully to compensate for the drift.
Always follow the fishery's boating and safety regulations.
## How to Present a Dry Fly on Stillwaters
Unlike river dry fly fishing, where the current usually determines the drift, stillwater presentation is influenced mainly by wind and surface movement.
In many situations, the most effective approach is to cast the fly and allow it to drift naturally.
This can be particularly productive when trout are taking adult midges, upwinged flies or other insects resting on the surface.
Watch the fly carefully and avoid unnecessary movement.
If the wind begins pulling the line and causing the artificial to move unnaturally, adjust your line control or casting position.
Some insects, particularly adult sedges, may move across the surface.
In these circumstances, occasional deliberate movement can be effective.
The important thing is to match the behaviour of the natural insects rather than retrieving the fly simply because nothing has happened.
## Should You Retrieve a Dry Fly?
Usually, a natural drift is a sensible starting point.
However, some dry flies can be effective when moved.
Adult sedges may skate or flutter across the water, while terrestrial insects sometimes struggle after landing on the surface.
A gentle pull, short twitch or occasional movement can sometimes encourage a trout to take.
The key is restraint.
Excessive movement may make the artificial appear unnatural, particularly when fish are feeding on stationary insects.
If trout are taking small midges or other insects sitting quietly on the surface, leaving the fly undisturbed is often preferable.
## Fishing Single Dry Flies or Teams
On UK stillwaters, anglers sometimes fish more than one dry fly on the same leader.
This is commonly known as fishing a team of flies.
A team allows the angler to present different patterns or sizes at the same time.
For example, a larger, more visible dry fly might be combined with smaller patterns that imitate the insects being taken.
However, fishing multiple dry flies requires good casting and line control.
Poorly spaced flies or an unsuitable leader can result in tangles and unnatural presentation.
For beginners, fishing a single dry fly is often the simplest approach.
Once you are comfortable casting and controlling the line, fishing a team can provide additional options.
Always check the fishery rules, as the number of flies permitted varies between waters.
## Choosing Dry Flies for Stillwaters
The most useful dry fly depends on the insects present and how the trout are feeding.
### Dry Flies for Midges
Midges are among the most important insects on UK lakes and reservoirs.
Trout may feed on newly emerged adults resting on the surface or on insects struggling to emerge through the surface film.
Useful patterns include:
- Griffiths Gnat.
- Small F-Flies.
- Small CDC dry flies.
- Suitable midge adult imitations.
When trout are feeding on insects emerging through the surface film, a CDC Shuttlecock or another suitable emerger may be more effective than a conventional dry fly.
### Dry Flies for Sedges
Sedges can provide exciting surface fishing, particularly during warmer evenings.
Adult sedges may drift naturally or move actively across the surface.
Useful patterns include:
- Elk Hair Caddis.
- CDC Sedge.
- Deer Hair Sedge.
- Other suitable adult sedge imitations.
Observe the natural insects before deciding whether to fish the artificial static or introduce movement.
### Dry Flies for Terrestrial Insects
Terrestrial insects can be particularly important during warmer weather and windy conditions.
Useful patterns include:
- Daddy Long Legs.
- Hawthorn Fly.
- Black Ant.
- Beetle imitations.
These flies can be especially effective when insects are being blown onto the water from surrounding vegetation.
A suitable terrestrial pattern may also be worth trying when trout are cruising close to the margins.
### General-Purpose Dry Flies
When there is no obvious hatch, general patterns can still be effective.
Useful options include:
- Parachute Adams.
- F-Fly.
- Griffiths Gnat.
- General olive and brown dry flies.
As with river fishing, matching the approximate size, silhouette and behaviour of the natural food is often more important than the exact name of the pattern.
## What Tackle Do You Need?
A conventional stillwater fly fishing outfit is generally suitable for dry fly fishing.
For most UK lakes and reservoirs, **a 9ft 6in #6 fly rod with a matching floating weight forward line is an excellent all-round choice**.
This provides a versatile setup for dry fly fishing alongside other common stillwater methods.
A lighter #5 rod can be enjoyable for more delicate dry fly fishing in calm conditions, but a #6 is generally the more practical all-round option.
Other essentials include:
- A floating fly line.
- A suitable tapered leader.
- Nylon tippet.
- A selection of dry flies and emergers.
- Appropriate floatant.
- Fly-drying products.
- Polarised sunglasses.
- A landing net and forceps.
There is no need to purchase a specialist dry fly outfit if your existing stillwater tackle is suitable.
## How Long Should Your Leader Be?
Leader length depends on the conditions, the size of the flies and how the fish are feeding.
A tapered leader around 9ft is a useful starting point.
Longer leaders can be beneficial when fishing small dry flies to wary trout, particularly on calm, clear water.
However, excessively long leaders can become difficult to cast and control in windy conditions.
If fishing a team of dry flies, the leader arrangement will also need to accommodate the spacing between patterns.
The objective is to achieve natural presentation while retaining enough control to cast accurately and respond to takes.
## Nylon or Fluorocarbon Tippet?
Nylon monofilament is generally the preferred choice for conventional dry fly fishing.
It is supple and less inclined to sink than fluorocarbon.
This helps when presenting small flies that need to remain on or close to the surface.
Fluorocarbon is denser and tends to sink more readily, making it particularly useful for many subsurface methods.
Although fluorocarbon can be used with dry flies, nylon is usually the more straightforward choice.
Tippet diameter should suit the size of the fly, the conditions and the trout being targeted.
Avoid using unnecessarily fine material simply to improve presentation, as this can increase breakages and prolong the time needed to land fish.
## How Important Is Fly Visibility?
Seeing your dry fly is important because takes can be subtle.
On stillwaters, the fly may be difficult to follow against reflections, ripples or changing light.
Some patterns incorporate visible posts or buoyant materials that make them easier to track.
However, a large, highly visible fly isn't always the best choice when trout are feeding on tiny insects.
Polarised sunglasses can help reduce glare and make it easier to observe both the artificial and the fish.
If you lose sight of your fly, watch the area where it should be and look for any rise or disturbance.
## When Is Stillwater Dry Fly Fishing Most Productive?
There is no single time of day that is always best.
The most productive periods often coincide with insect activity and suitable weather conditions.
### Spring
As water temperatures begin to rise, midge activity can encourage trout to feed at or near the surface.
However, feeding may still be concentrated beneath the surface film rather than on fully emerged adults.
### Summer
Summer can provide excellent dry fly opportunities, particularly when sedges and terrestrial insects are active.
Evening fishing can be especially productive when trout begin feeding on insects at the surface.
### Autumn
Midges and other insects may continue to provide surface-feeding opportunities as temperatures begin to fall.
Calm periods can sometimes reveal subtle feeding activity that would be difficult to recognise in stronger winds.
Conditions vary between fisheries, and surface feeding can occur outside these general patterns.
The best approach is to watch the water rather than rely entirely on the time of year.
## What If Trout Are Rising but Ignoring Your Flies?
This is a common frustration in stillwater dry fly fishing.
There are several possible explanations.
The trout may be feeding on a different insect, a different size or a different stage of emergence.
They may also be taking insects immediately beneath the surface rather than on top of it.
Before changing patterns, consider:
- Is your fly drifting naturally?
- Is it in the area where the fish are feeding?
- Are you casting ahead of moving fish?
- Is the fly the correct approximate size?
- Is it sitting correctly in the surface film?
- Are the fish actually taking adult insects?
Sometimes changing from a conventional dry fly to an emerger makes the difference.
At other times, improving your positioning or allowing the fly to drift more naturally is all that is required.
## Common Stillwater Dry Fly Fishing Mistakes
Some of the most common mistakes include:
- Casting randomly without observing feeding activity.
- Ignoring wind lanes and areas where insects collect.
- Casting at the last rise rather than ahead of a moving trout.
- Repeatedly casting when a fish has stopped rising.
- Retrieving the fly when a natural drift would be more effective.
- Allowing wind or boat movement to drag the artificial unnaturally.
- Using flies that are much larger than the natural insects.
- Assuming every rise means trout are taking adult insects.
- Using unnecessarily long leaders that are difficult to control.
- Changing flies repeatedly without considering presentation.
Many of these problems improve through observation, patience and careful line control.
## Key Takeaways
- Dry fly fishing can be highly effective on UK lakes and reservoirs.
- Trout may feed on adult insects, emergers or food trapped in the surface film.
- Wind lanes can concentrate insects and provide valuable feeding areas.
- Stillwater trout often move while feeding, so try to establish their direction of travel.
- Casting ahead of a moving trout is usually more effective than casting directly at its last rise.
- If a fish stops rising, pause and allow it time to resume feeding.
- Natural drift is a good starting point, although deliberate movement can be effective with certain insects.
- Both single dry flies and teams of flies can be used, subject to fishery rules.
- Griffiths Gnats, F-Flies, sedge patterns and terrestrial imitations are useful additions to a stillwater dry fly box.
- A 9ft 6in #6 rod with a matching floating weight forward line is an excellent all-round stillwater setup.
- Nylon tippet is generally preferable for conventional dry fly fishing.
- Observation, positioning and presentation are often more important than continually changing fly patterns.
In the next article, we'll look at **common dry fly fishing problems**, including sinking flies, missed takes, refusals, drag and practical ways to improve your results on rivers and stillwaters.
