“Where are your Waterwisp flies?”

“A water what?”

“You know those flies with the hackle tied on the bend of the hook…”

Not an everyday conversation that you hear in a fly shop. In fact, most people who fly fish may not have heard of them before. Most shops don’t even carry them. We have em’ here in CrossCurrents, but usually people never really ask for them. A few weeks ago a client requested them, then today we got asked about them again. This time it just happened to be the owner or Waterwisp, Jim Greene.

“Where are your Waterwisp flies?”

“Oh those are the ones with the hackle tied on the bend, they’re right over here. Do you fish with them a lot?”

“Well I should, I’m the owner of the company.”

Those flies never seem to fail for a moment of embarrassment in the shop. The good news is they are pretty neat dry flies that are tied with the hook riding up so it is completely unseen by the trout. According to a demonstration by Jim, they always land right side up. A really great concept that is overlooked by 99% of the fly fishing world. From the underwater view they look more like a bug on the surface than any other traditionally tied dry fly.

After talking to Jim, a couple of us are sold on fishing with these bugs. He is one of the nicest fellows we have had in the shop and his big smile while talking about the trout he has fooled with a Waterwisp will make anyone want to tie one on. Keep in touch for a follow up post about our time on the water with these flies!