BWO hatch

[afishinado]

The following is an article with some great info about the upcoming Olive hatches in PA streams. This article focuses on Fishing Creek (Clinton County) and also features comments and tips and patterns from our own Old Lefty / Dave Rothrock.

Spring Olives

 

[dryflyguy]

I really look forward to the BWO hatches in early spring. After not fishing for 3-4 months, I just love seeing those little gray sailboat wings floating down the stream. It kinda lets me know that all is right with the world.
Another bonus - there is really not much of anything else hatching at that time of year. So, when you find fish rising, your can be quite sure of what they're taking

 

[troutpoop]

Nice read. Good info at a time most of us are getting fired up to get out for a hatch or three.

 

[Acristickid]

Do you think the water temps in their example reach 55 degrees in mid-March to early April. That place is always very cold.

My problem has always been I started chasing weeks to early out of blind excitement. Somehow always seems 2-3 weeks later than when chasing starts. So I've done a roll back.

 

[afishinado]

acristickid wrote:
Do you think the water temps in their example reach 55 degrees in mid-March to early April. That place is always very cold.

My problem has always been I started chasing weeks to early out of blind excitement. Somehow always seems 2-3 weeks later than when chasing starts. So I've done a roll back.

^agree the water remain cold in March and even into early April. I would put the temp for Baetis/BQ hatches more in the low to mid 40's and best when temps are spike upward in the afternoon.

 

[henrydavid]

I never actually stopped fishing this winter, and I can say I've seen olives in Dec. Jan and today in February on my local creek, also stone flies today, quite a few.

 

[Millsertime]

+1.

Olives have been present around 1 pm on the warmer days (water temp low 40's) for past 1-2 months.

Yesterday, it seemed their size was getting larger as well. Possibly a 16.

 

[pcray1231]

My problem has always been I started chasing weeks to early out of blind excitement. Somehow always seems 2-3 weeks later than when chasing starts. So I've done a roll back.

You are being tricked by the last two years. Recency bias. The last 2 winters were very back loaded, so the latter half was very cold. Effectively delaying this hatch, and leading to your observation.

On average, you get sporadic hatches throughout February, and things really get going around the 1st of March. I can recall one of my best days ever on Valentine's Day on Spring Creek.

But the last two years things didn't really get going till late March and April was really prime time.

I haven't been out, but reports I've heard have been a return to normalcy and your roll back will put you on the end of the hatch, not the beginning! The beginning is better, especially if cold, as the bugs stay on the water longer and the fish then rise better and take duns instead of just emergers.

 

[Acristickid]

Any one seeing olives in central PA? I been up in the hills but this week probably hit some bigger waters.

 

[NewSal]

acristickid-

Yes, the little Juniata has been having bwo hatches. Ive been seeing them sense Sunday

 

[NewSal]

I don't know much about either fly fishing or hatches but I do know from fishing the lil j almost everyday that I notice them the most around 2-4pm, not sure if that's typical or whatever but that's what I see from being in the water everyday, yesterday was weird, it was cloudy all day and the sun didn't peak out until after 4pm and I hardly seen any olives at all, tons of midges though. Only seen 3 visible rises in 3 hours time period. Tried fishing a emerger type fly recommended by pcray but I didn't catch a single fish, my techniques and presentations are to blame

 

[pcray1231]

Or, lack of a hatch. Not seeing rises, don't fish on top.

I suspect the cool, cloudy weather put off the hatch that day. Early in the hatch cycle, it's the warm weather that'll bring out the bigger hatches. A few warm days in a row especially. Later in the hatch cycle, the opposite....

Likewise, as time progresses the hatch will likely move up earlier in the day.

Imagine a water temperature trigger that gets things going each day. Near the beginning of the hatch, on a cool cloudy day, you never got there. But as spring wears on and the water warms, it'll happen more regularly, and you'll hit that point earlier in the day each time.

Once things really get rolling, BWO's are rather famous for coming in "waves". Meaning you might get a hatch at 11 a.m. But then at 12:30 things die down a bit. Lots of guys leave thinking it's over. Then at 1:30 the next wave comes on. It too dies down, and you may get a third wave later in the afternoon.