The most important point in fishing with wet flies is to try to put the fly as close to the fish as possible. That means casting accuracy, line control and adding enough weight or using a wet fly line that permits the fly to sink quickly. It also means you must be able to read the water and cast accurately enough to place the fly reasonably close to where you believe trout are holding. Fish holding areas include in front and behind obstacles, natural or artificial eddies, close to eroded stream banks, within and below riffles or channeled water where trout might hang out to catch drifting insects. A technique you should practice is to try to place your fly in such a manner that the fly starts to rise just as it reaches the spot where you believe trout are hiding or lurking in wait.

The technique was developed by Jim Leisenring before World War II. The Leisenring Lift Technique should be employed when you cast to areas that you believe trout are holding. However, it should be part of your wet fly fishing technique that you use regularly. When you cast slightly upstream or directly across the current and as the fly drops into the water, raise the rod tip so only enough line is on the water to allow the fly to sink. As the fly drifts across from you, raise the rod tip to keep excess line off the water. Once the fly drifts below your position, lower the rod to allow the line to generally keep up with the current. As the fly approaches the end of the drift and begins its swing across the current, the fly will be naturally lifted which gives the fly the appearance of a rising insect. The object is to keep the fly near the bottom, but rising and lowering throughout the drift. Your fish catching success will be proportional to how well you are able to control the rising and lowering of the fly through fish holding areas and at the end of the drift.

Another wet fly technique that often works in gin clear water with spooky trout is to simply strip off line and let the fly drift down in the current below you while controlling the fly’s path under river banks or obstacles within the river like rocks and overhanging branches or log jams. Here too, you should also control the fly so it is constantly rising and sinking. This technique is useful in working deep pools as well as searching obstacles and other natural holding areas.