What size olives in Central Pa?

[blackandgold4ever05]

Any of you guys that fish in Central Pa like myself, are you just tying size 18 dry fly olives? I fish mostly Penns, but also spring creek, big fishing creek, and elk creek. I am wondering about size 16 bwo's? Thanks for the help!

 

[gutcutter]

Depends upon time of year, location and what you mean by "olives"
Insects that are called "olives" or "BWO" range in size from 14-26 throughout the region that you define as Central Pa - from insects referred to as "Drunellas" to those referred to as "Pseudos".

 

[troutslammer]

pseudocleons are def. not size 14 i would throw 18 & 20's but maybe u will see a 16 this time of year but i wouldn't count on it

 

[csoult]

I was seeing 18's today, the fish weren't even looking at them though.

 

[quillfly]

16 18 22 24 26

 

[JohnnyUtah]

They tend to be larger in the spring 16-18 then as the season progress you will see, if you can, lol 20-26.

This time of year, the trout will pay more attention to a midge hatch, then an olive hatch. Unless the olive hatch is in good numbers. The midges will surely be in good numbers. Be sure to have some rs-2 in sizes 20-26, they clean up on midge hatches. Dont ask me why.

 

[dubthethorax]

There were 18 olives, darker in color, coming off on the LL on Saturday but they were outnumbered by massive midge hatches up an down the water. Fish were only looking at the midges. I was picking them up on size 22 black emergers.

 

[dryflyguy]

Most of the olives I see in the fall are #20 or smaller.
But I use #18 - and even #16's in the spring.

 

[zenherper]

I have been seeing size 20/22's in the Eastern region.

 

[Foxgap239]

I agree and they are very light olive almost pale on the under side.

 

[JohnnyUtah]

A light grey olive is the underside i see all the time.

 

[RowJimmy]

dubthethorax wrote:
There were 18 olives, darker in color, coming off on the LL on Saturday but they were outnumbered by massive midge hatches up an down the water. Fish were only looking at the midges. I was picking them up on size 22 black emergers.

Dub,

The amount of midges and variety of different types on the LL is amazing. Sunday we did well with size 24 brown midges. Lots of fish looking up.

 

[gutcutter]

my experience;
late winter - February and early March - #20
early spring - late March into early April - #18
late spring - end of May - #14
very late spring/early summer - June - #16
late summer - July into August - #24-26
late summer into fall - August - October - #22-24
fall October to late November - #18-22
you can see that these are not all the same species nor the same genus. but they are all commonly called "BWO" or "olives" by many anglers