My 9 best trout flies for August on the beautiful Welsh Dee

July has passed, and it’s time to review my fly fishing diary to identify the best trout flies for August…

i.e. fly patterns that have consistently caught trout and grayling for me.

This knowledge is helpful if you are a newcomer to fly fishing the Welsh Dee. Also, the more seasoned anglers will find it informative.

Before diving in, it is worth mentioning some of the natural flies you’re likely to see on the Welsh Dee during August.

Based on the variety of natural flies, you might think an extensive selection of fly patterns is required to catch trout and grayling consistently during August.

However, after analyzing my fishing log, I was surprised that selecting the best-performing flies for August was straightforward. Because….  

60% of all the fish caught in August were on three wet flies

My Top 3 – best trout flies for August on the Welsh Dee

There is a bias in the selection of my 3 best trout flies for August because most of my trout fishing is from late afternoon to nightfall as I wait to start sea trout fishing.

• 21% on March Brown Spider (#16 & 14)
• 20% on Black Hopper (#14)
• 19% on Claret and Olive (#16 & 14)

If you are unable to identify what flies trout or grayling are feeding on, my recommendation is to start with the following three-fly cast on 3lb copolymer (point: #14 Black Hopper; middle dropper: #14 March Brown Spider; top dropper: #14 Claret and Olive)… 

because it continues to serve me very well during August.

If you are new to fly fishing and only want to fish one wet fly on the Welsh Dee in August. Then fly selection would depend on a couple of factors.

A black hopper is a good choice when there’s no sign of trout or grayling taking flies at the surface.

Black Hopper – one of the best trout flies for August

Black Hopper

• Hook:      Kamasan B170 size 14
• Thread:   Black UNI-Thread 8/0
• Body: Black seal fur substitute
• Rib:          Uni Pearl Mylar (1/32)
• Legs:       Black pheasant tail
• Hackle:   Black (natural) hen

Tying Instructions

Alternatively, if the black hopper doesn’t catch anything within 20 minutes of fishing or there are signs of sub-surface feeding fish, try a March Brown Spider or the Claret and Olive.

March Brown Spider – another of my of best trout flies for August

WMB (weighted March Brown)

• Hook:     Kamasan B170 #14 & 16
• Thread:   Waxed orange UNI 8/0
• Body:       Hare’s ears fibres of varying length & colour
• Rib:          Medium gold wire
• Hackle:    Brown partridge neck feather

Tying Instructions

Claret & Olive is one of my best flies for August on the Welsh dee

Claret an Olive

• Hook:      Kamasan B170 #14 &16
• Thread:  Black UNI-Thread 8/0
• Body: rear – medium olive seals fur subs
• Body: front – claret seals fur subs.
• Rib:         Uni Pearl Mylar (1/32)

Where best to fish the wet flies in August?

When the Welsh Dee is at its summer level, it’s best to focus your wet fly fishing efforts in the following sections of the river during the day:

• the fast water leading into deep pools; 
• shady areas, particularly under overhanging trees & bushes;
• alongside weed beds, large rocks, ledges, and snags;
• the tails of pools, especially in the evening.

However, slower sections of pools often come alive with rising trout and grayling in the evening and thus should not be ignored.

Now let’s consider what to do if the above fails to catch trout and grayling.

Trout and grayling dry flies for August on the Welsh Dee:

When trout and grayling are preoccupied with taking dry flies, the best approach is to try and match the hatch. 

Usually, a rough match in general size and colour is all that is required. Many natural flies you will encounter are olives; therefore, an olive pattern in various sizes and shades will often suffice.

Over the years, the Olive Quill emerger has become one of my best dry flies for August on the Welsh Dee and River Ribble.

Olive Quill – best trout flies for August

Olive Quill Emerger

• Hook:      HENDS BL345 #16 & 18
• Thread: Tan UNI-Thread 8/0 
• Body: Peacock quill
• Thorax: Peacock Herl
• Wing: 3 CDC feathers

If trout and grayling are taking small flies, I tie on #18 or #20 CDC Smut; this usually does the business.

In poor light, it can be hard to track the CDC Smut. Therefore, I will often fish it 3 ft trailing behind a sight fly (usually an Elk hair caddis).

CDC Smut – best trout flies for August

CDC Smut

• Hook:      Kamasan B175 #18 7 20
• Thread:   Black UNI 8/0
• Tag Floss (red, orange or cream)
• Body:      Black UN 8/0
• Wing:      CDC angled back 

The Elk hair caddis is another dry fly pattern for August that catches me lots for trout and grayling when fishing into the evening. Especially during a nightfall hatch of sedges.

Elk Hair caddis – best trout flies for August

Elk hair caddis

• Hook: Kamansan B170 (#16, 14 & 12)
• Thread: 8/0 Burnt orange
• Body: Fox Squirrel dubbing (WAPSI)
• Rib: Silver wire
• Hackle: Brown genetic cock 
• Wing: Bleached Elk Hair

Tying Instructions

In fading light, it becomes difficult to see the rises. At this point, try fishing this caddis across and downriver so that it skates on the surface. This approach has caught me some…

smashing trout, grayling and sea trout.

On bright sunny days, you might find that dry and wet fly fishing fails to catch fish. So, let’s now consider what you might do to avoid a blank…

Best nymph flies for August:

Euro (Czech) nymphing is not everyone’s “cup of tea” but it’s worth having in your armoury. When the fish are feeding on the riverbed, I find it’s the best way to catch them.

after great sport on wet or dry flies in the morning, the river turns dead from mid-day until the sun starts to set

Consider the following scenario…

How do you fill in the hours until evening?

• Go to the pub for a long lunch and a rest, or
• Search for where the fish have gone.

If it’s the latter, you will need to switch to nymphing the deep, shady pockets of water, where you will often find trout and grayling feeding on small nymphs. 

Over years of practice, I’ve found fishing a couple of size 16 or 18 nymphs above a heavy (ca. 4-5mm) tungsten bead point nymph works well.

One of the following simple nymphs (size 16 or 18) often produces fish:

• Quil nymph with a 1.5mm tungsten bead
• Hare’s Ear nymph with a 2mm tungsten bead
• Red nymph with a 1.5mm gold tungsten bead

TB Quill nymph

• Hook:    HENDS BL354 #16 & 18
• Bead:     1.5 tungsten
• Thread: brown UNI-Thread 8/0
• Tail: Coq De Leon fibres
• Body:      Peacock quill
• Thorax:   Hare’s ear dubbing

Tying Instructions

Hare’s ear is one of my best trout flies for August

Hares’s Ear nymph

• HENDS BL354 # 16
• Bead – 2mm tungsten copper
• Brown UNI-Thread 8/0
• Tail – Coq De Leon fibres
• Body – Hare’s ear dubbing
• Rib – Fine gold wire

The Claret nymph is another best trout flies for August.

Claret nymph

• Hook:  HENDS BL345 #16 & 18
• Bead:    1.5mm tungsten purple
• Thread: claret UNI-Thread 8/0
• Body:     claret UNI-Thread 8/0
• Thorax: Mole fur
• Wing case:   Pearl Mylar 1/8”

The following link highlights some of my fishing exploits during August on the Welsh Dee

• Fishing Diary 2021: August on the wonderful Welsh Dee
• August fishing report from the banks of the beautiful Welsh Dee

If you are interested in fly fishing for trout and grayling, there is some excellent day-ticket water available on the Welsh Dee.  

I hope you have found this post on my best trout flies for August helpful. It would be great to hear what your flies for August you wouldn’t be without.