Wet fly
Sooty Olive
Irish lough wet
Trout · Sea troutSubsurface
Dark olive, subtle, reliable — the Sooty Olive is the workhorse of Irish wet fly fishing, and it earns every compliment.
Fish this when
Late May through autumn on Irish loughs and Scottish lochs. Fish it on the point or middle dropper, steadily worked or on the dip.
Why it works
Dark olive is one of the most reliable colours across water types and conditions. Reads as emerging olives, small nymphs, or general subsurface food.
Naturals it imitates
olive midge pupa, general invertebrate
Typical zone & fishable range
usually
Surface
Film
Subsurface
Deep
Setup sensitivity: medium
Quick facts
Tying difficulty
Beginner-friendly
Buy or tie?