Anyone got Blue Wing Olive emerger suggestions?

[PaScoGi]

In all the entomology books I see Blue Wing Olives appear more brownish. Yet all the emerger patterns on youtube seem to be more green.

Really splitting hairs here I know. But what do y'all use if theres an (emerging) BWO hatch? Not talking about duns or spinners. Im talking about when theres BWOs hatching & trout are eating them before they reach surface.

If I were to tie a small soft hackle to imitate this, should I use materials that are more brownish olive or greenish olive. Or any other patterns you suggest.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Dr.J 1952]

Here’s the pattern I’ve been using with success for many years on lots of streams with BWOs: I use a #18 or #20 scud type hook. For the tail or trailing shuck, I use a blue gray Antron yarn about a hook length. For the body, I use 8/0 Danville Flymaster thread in olive. It has more of a brown olive hue which matches the natural more than the Uni thread olive. I tie all my wet flies/ emergers and dries #18 and smaller with thread bodies. You get a tighter segmented body. For the wing I used a tuft of gray muskrat fur from the skin tied on top of the hook behind the eye of the hook. You can also use gray rabbit from a zonker strip. Once tied in , cut the wing so it is about one third the length of the hook shank. For legs I use dyed dun mallard, dun hackle fibers or partridge. Tie them in throat style. It’s a small fly so be careful, not to crowd the eye. You don’t have to add legs.

 

[albatross]

Pattern I'm working on. Variation on the Breadline emerger.
Shuck material of choice
Olive turkey biot body
Dun hackle is mostly for legs, trimmed top and bottom
Poly wing in dun

 

[snag]

Biot Body CDC Loop Wing Olive

 

[nymphingmaniac]

Here’s the pattern I’ve been using with success for many years on lots of streams with BWOs: I use a #18 or #20 scud type hook. For the tail or trailing shuck, I use a blue gray Antron yarn about a hook length. For the body, I use 8/0 Danville Flymaster thread in olive. It has more of a brown olive hue which matches the natural more than the Uni thread olive. I tie all my wet flies/ emergers and dries #18 and smaller with thread bodies. You get a tighter segmented body. For the wing I used a tuft of gray muskrat fur from the skin tied on top of the hook behind the eye of the hook. You can also use gray rabbit from a zonker strip. Once tied in , cut the wing so it is about one third the length of the hook shank. For legs I use dyed dun mallard, dun hackle fibers or partridge. Tie them in throat style. It’s a small fly so be careful, not to crowd the eye. You don’t have to add legs.View attachment 1641236364View attachment 1641236363View attachment 1641236363

I too like the Danville olive, which as you wrote has a bit of a brown hue to it. You can substitute polypro for the wing . Since its hard to find dark enough gray polypro, I've been using medium brown poly for the wing

 

[Bamboozle]

I use the same two emerger patterns for everything, both simple self creations with trailing Z-Lon shucks, CDC or snowshoe rabbit foot wings and stretched out thin vinyl ribbing.

The BWO version differs from the Sulphur version only in size and the color of the ribbing which is olive over brown on the BWO versus yellow over brown on the Sulphur.

When that doesn't work, I suspend an unweighted nymph a few inches below the surface under a dry, a greased leader or a Strike Putty or yarn indicator.

 

[JimNovo]

These two have been working well this year. The hackle stacker rides a bit lower than the CDC one, so there are options.

 

[jifigz]

Parachute klinkhammer or an RS2.

 

[JeffK]

I use a CDC emerger like Jim Novo's, but the abdomen is wound with a brown and an olive silk thread.

I used to fish a size 19 starling and something dark for the body soft hackle for olives and did well. My best looking one had an olive brown dubbed abdomen ribbed with copper and a brown dubbed thorax (from dubbing mixes suggested by Fly Fisherman's Paradise). Tried different thread bodies - brown, olive, and purple (purple works well for olives. A good olive dun pattern for me is a purple Patriot). Tried black or olive crystal flash. Bottom line: all worked as long as the body was slim and dark. Starling soft hackles are great for olives. If the olives are egg laying under water a mirrored glass or silver bead wouldn't hurt.

My friends do a lot of damage with RS2's. I don't do as well.

 

[dudemanspecial]

I use the same two emerger patterns for everything, both simple self creations with trailing Z-Lon shucks, CDC or snowshoe rabbit foot wings and stretched out thin vinyl ribbing.

The BWO version differs from the Sulphur version only in size and the color of the ribbing which is olive over brown on the BWO versus yellow over brown on the Sulphur.

When that doesn't work, I suspend an unweighted nymph a few inches below the surface under a dry, a greased leader or a Strike Putty or yarn indicator.

How about some pics?

 

[PaScoGi]

thanks all much appreciated!

 

[nfrechet]

klinkhammer

deer hair emerger

 

[turkey]

I like a loop wing style like Snag posted. Although, I'm tryna get off the CDC.

 

[falcon]

Baetis Olives of which there are several including a unrelated Blue Wing Olive can be different shades of olive to brown. Minerals in the water can affect coloration in different waters. In addition emergence is a PROCESS. There is not a static stage called a emerger as its apearance changes as the emerging process evolves. Also a emerging insect may initially be one color but typically darkens soon after hatching into a subimago. The olive may initially be a shade of green but may (or may not) soon darken or appear brown or even grey or any shade in between. Color is tpically the least important trigger for a fly pattern since most shades of green to brown are generally effective. Size and presentation are more important.

 

[Dr.J 1952]

The gentleman asked for a pattern. Again, I have used this pattern for thirty years. Wet fly, emerger, whatever it works. I have caught fish with this pattern at the Yellow Breeches, Falling Springs, Spring Creek, Spruce Creek, North Fork of Redbank Creek, Neshannock Creek and Yellow Creek that I can recall. I use the same color thread on my BWO duns and they work. I wouldn’t tie these if they didn’t work.

 

[salmo]

Tie an Adam’s, no wings, Antron tail, cut flush to the dubbing on the bottom