Adams Wet

The Adams Wet Fly is intended to imitate a drowned or emerging mayfly, caddisfly, or similar aquatic insect below the water’s surface. Its soft, flowing hackle and muted gray-brown color palette mimic the appearance and motion of an insect that is either struggling in the film or drifting just beneath it. It’s especially effective during mayfly hatches when trout are feeding on emergers or drowned adults.

History:

The Adams Wet Fly is a subsurface adaptation of the iconic Adams dry fly, which was originally tied in 1922 by Leonard Halladay in Michigan. The wet version retains the original’s signature gray body and brown/gray hackle coloration but is tied with softer materials and a swept-back hackle to allow it to sink and move naturally in the current. It became a staple in traditional wet fly fishing, offering anglers a way to match the hatch beneath the surface while maintaining the proven effectiveness of the Adams color scheme.