Author Topic: Blue Wing Olives and Other Baetis Flies (Read 1682 times)

Josh McFadden · « **on:** April 10, 2011, 11:19:58 PM »

I'd like to hold a discussion on these particular bugs. There a very prominent hatch here on the tails for half the year and have gone through the gamut so to speak in regard to different types of patterns to represent them. One of the most effective flies on the South Holston is a small BWO Split Case Nymph with a tungsten bead. They do work very well. The commercially tied pattern uses a spot of yellow foam underneath the biots to represent the emergent or some sort of split. As seen here from solidtude fly company in the top photo.

Now while we see this all the time in our sulphur nymphs. I generally don't see this particular trait as something that sets blue wing olives apart. To me they are very slender segmented nymphs but what strikes me is the wing pads themselves. They are very dark if not black. I'll often use black scud back for the shelback. However, Their wing pads seem to hang out over the thorax area and extend into the abdomen region such as these picture here

. I have tied some flies similar to sloans might may as I don't like the epoxied feel of the true mighty may wingcase. I like for flies to be gummy or soft as I think most fish agree. I having trouble perceiving a way to tie in wing pads as in the photo of the natural above. What blue wing olive nymphs do you like? What characteristics are important to you? As the other NC team members will tell you it's a unique problem we have on the south holston. The fish know what real bugs look like!

Jim Frazier · « **Reply #1 on:** April 10, 2011, 11:49:21 PM »

how about lance egans iron lotus it might pass as a BWO or maybe even a few other may flies as well

Dejon Hamann · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2011, 09:32:06 AM »

Josh, always fun to put one family of bugs under the tying microscope at a time.

I would think black goose biots or thin skin ala a tiny stonefly would give you the effect you're looking for there. Tying them on 22s is another story. Personally, I go with the standard flashback partition and find it adequate enough, but I rarely tie anything smaller than a short shanked 18.

My bwo nymphs are really standard micro nymphs in appropriate hues. I like slick thread based or biot bodies that will shoot through the water... especially when trying to get small flies down.

On an A/B basis you find that trout will hold onto a "softer" fly longer?

Mark Hanes · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2011, 10:11:52 AM »

Nice post and it does give you something to think about. I am one that have always felt the general size and color of the nymph is more important. You have to remember that the trout only has a second or two to make a decision if they are going to eat the fly. As cool as the split case is I am not sure it is needed. It really is a cool concept and I would bet the added foam visible or not has more to do with how the fly fishes than the fact of the fish keying in on the split case.

Brandon Matthews · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2011, 12:43:34 PM »

Oliver Edwards has a realistic olive pattern that he incorporates the wing buds. He uses either black pheasant tail fibers or black crow or something along those lines and criss-crosses them prior to tying down the actual wingcase. This is pretty close to Oliver Edwards pattern.

https://www.flyfishingpoint.net/#/flies/detail/fmt271314-oliver-edwards-baetis-nymph-size-14-oliver-edwards-baetis-nymph

This pattern is from flyfishingpoint.net.

Hope this helps.

Arron Varga · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2011, 01:45:11 PM »

Or you could try this one:

http://flytying.ro/masa_muscarului/baetis-nymph-201

Simplier fly to tie and probably meets your wing bud realism requirement.

The wild rabbit and stripped peacock quill is carried by Performance flies.

Brandon Matthews · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2011, 03:19:20 PM »

Oh I like the looks of that!

I will have to try that pattern! looks like a killer!

Arron Varga · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2011, 03:39:28 PM »

It has caught me a few fish

John Killinger · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2011, 09:06:16 PM »

Josh,
Just curious, this question is not related to your post but you did say you fish the South Holston. Hope you don't mind answering it. I've fished the South Holston which has thick didymo, and had problems with my heavy weighted nymphs getting caught in that crap. When I fished it I had to resort to drys and wets , which I'm not so good with. How do you rig your system up to nymph fish that effectively?

Aaron, that is a good link you posted for a baetis imitation.

Josh McFadden · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2011, 09:30:39 PM »

Yeah just constantly adjusting for depth is a must. Once you know the river enough you can get ball park with your depths I like to be just off the bottom. There are areas of the river where the didymo isn't as much of an issue also. I'll tweek weight with my bugs too as well as depth. brass vs. tungsten vs unweighted. The didymo is a real issue in several spots on the river.
Josh

Thanks for the great ideas fellas keep em coming . For clarification sake the split case flat out catches fish. I'm just trying to get even closer.