Wet fly
Mallard & Claret
Claret wet-fly workhorse
Trout · Sea troutSubsurface
Mallard wing over a claret seal's fur body — a Victorian recipe that still works, elegant in its simplicity and lethal in its effect.
Fish this when
Spring and summer on rivers and lochs. Cast across and swing, or fish it on a drifting boat on the point or middle dropper.
Why it works
Claret is one of the foundational fly-fishing colours — reads as small insects, emerging nymphs, or general subsurface movement at any depth.
Naturals it imitates
nothing specific — traditional dark wet-fly profile
Typical zone & fishable range
usually
Surface
Film
Subsurface
Deep
Setup sensitivity: medium
Quick facts
Tying difficulty
Beginner-friendly
Buy or tie?