Quick BWO question

[afishinado]

I have more BWO imitations in my box than any other fly in my MF dry box. As far as color, I tie a light version (almost yellow with an olive cast), a med olive and a dark olive, some in parachute, catskill, and comparadun style. I tie them from size 14-24. The Cornuta is a big BWO (#14) and when you flip it over, it's actually a tan color like a March Brown. Have some for the D or Catskill streams in May. Many of the smaller olives hatching later in the season are darker in color. Also, for fussy fish, I tie a klinkhammer type with an olive quill body and an dun antron, or trimmed bright foam post for visibility.

 

[jayL]

I have also seen cornutas on Penns, assuming I have any idea what I'm talking about.

 

[afishinado]

Check this out:

http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/447/Mayfly-Drunella-lata-Large-Blue-Winged-Olive#im_extax81

 

[ryguyfi]

Ahhh yes it was the catskills... I couldn't remember which one you didn't like. I need to get a nice dun neck at the show Sunday so I can tie up some better BWO's.

 

[jayL]

I don't like tying comparaduns either. I was probably complaining about them at one point, because I didn't have good deer hair. I can tie them pretty well now, but I still don't like to. I don't like tying dry flies in general, really.

 

[ryguyfi]

I think my lack of quality materials puts me in that category too. I'm getting better with my dries, but they started out just downright aweful, and are only barely fishable now. I've got a $50 Cabela's gift card coming from some credit card points and that will help get me started.

Good info on the Baetis here. I look forward to hitting a few more hatches this year and Baetis seems to be an important hatch to have some flies to match.

 

[Fredrick]

Nice link Tom I didn't know about that species of Olive, that nymph looks to me to be a clinger.... I thought all Olive's were swimming nymphs ?

 

[jayL]

ryguyfi wrote:
I think my lack of quality materials puts me in that category too. I'm getting better with my dries, but they started out just downright aweful, and are only barely fishable now. I've got a $50 Cabela's gift card coming from some credit card points and that will help get me started.

Good info on the Baetis here. I look forward to hitting a few more hatches this year and Baetis seems to be an important hatch to have some flies to match.

You hit one last year and didn't know it.

I didn't realize the fish were taking olives during the sulphur hatch at spring creek until I got a clear view of the sky and was able to see all of the BWOs heading to the trees. Once I saw the olives, it became clear that the fish were taking them, since I saw very few sulphur naturals get eaten. I had assumed emergers all evening, but had limited success. This was Saturday at the jam.

I told a few people that didn't listen, then went home. :lol:

 

[govtmule]

you need (not really but preferred) summer hair? (the finer one) for comparaduns...it does makes it easier to tie. got some at cabelas and they call it comparadun hair i think...ive noticed to cut more hair than i think i need...cause you wind up losing a few strands...plus it makes it easier to bulk up the thorax.

 

[jayL]

I got a patch of natural and a patch of dun comparadun hair a while ago, and it makes comparaduns and EHC look way better.

 

[ryguyfi]

I got some short strikes on an elk hair emerger before the spinnerfall, but it was the color of a sulphur. That was frustrating... I don't think any of us caught anything until the spinners hit. I should be a little bit more prepared this time around. I'll atleast be ready for the hi viz adams parachute hatch on those brookie streams ;-)

 

[Dale49]

Jay,

I use a brown olive dubbing (Superfine and ice dubbing) and thread for all of my baetis/BWO patterns from small nymphs to emergers to CDC duns. I have had great success with these patterns/color all throughout the year and throughout several Eastern states.

 

[afishinado]

Fredrick wrote:
Nice link Tom I didn't know about that species of Olive, that nymph looks to me to be a clinger.... I thought all Olive's were swimming nymphs ?

Fred,

"BWO" is really a generic term that usually refers to all olive colored mayflies. There the two main insects refered to as BWOs are the baetis and drunella. They are completely different speices. Go back to Meck's chart here and check out the listings for BWOs. You'll find Baetis and Drunella listed. I said Cornuta, but that's the old-fashioned name. It's now Drunella. Just as I learned the Latin names, the dang entomolgists changed them on me!! :-x