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wet fly

American  

noun

Angling.
  1. an artificial fly designed for use underwater.


wet fly British  

noun

  1. angling Compare dry fly

    1. an artificial fly designed to float or ride below the water surface

    2. ( as modifier )

      wet-fly fishing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of wet fly

First recorded in 1870–75

Compare meaning

How does wet-fly compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The soft hackle makes it a wet fly; you fish it beneath the surface.

From The New Yorker Sep. 12, 2016

Author Bergman caught trout on a wet fly by allowing it to sink, judging the depth by counting to a certain number, then striking on the supposition that a fish had taken his fly.

From Time Magazine Archive

First tried a dry fly, then tried a wet fly, Then tried a worm and he caught six or eight.

From Time Magazine Archive

There is the bobo, or bubblefish, an elusive silverside that dwells in the rapids and attacks a wet fly like something good to eat.

From Time Magazine Archive

Now finish the body as for a wet fly, Fig.

From How to Tie Flies by Gregg, Ellery Clark

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