Poodle Sniffer - Black Caddis

Here's another fly tying video tying the "Poodle Sniffer" pupa to match a Glossoma Caddis

Black X-Caddis

Here's video from Blu Ribbon Flies on how to tie a Black X-Caddie

My Fly Boxes - Box #4 -Eggs/ Larger Nymphs

This a continuation of "My Fly Boxes". This 4th box is another of my "Go To" boxes. It is usually sitting in the tray of my drift boat and handy at all times. It is a waterproof, C&F box, with compartments with individual opening lids on one side and a foam slotted patch on the other side. It is a full size box as is about 4 inches x 7 3/4" and 1 3/4" thick. It is stored in my "Fishpond Guide Pack" but I rarely pack it around when I'm wade fishing. It sees more use in the boat.

Why do I like the waterproof boxes? I learned this the hard way. I used to have 3 or 4 Scientific Anglers non-water proof boxes and had them their pretty well filled with flies. I was getting ready for a fishing trip to Montana one time and I took one of the boxes out to check it out. At least half of the flies had rusty hooks and were worthless. I had gotten the box wet when I was wet wading and forgot to open it up and dry out the box and the flies properly. Lesson learned. The waterproof boxes help this from happening. Now, I almost always open my boxes up after fishing to dry then out properly, even though they are waterproof.

Compartment Side

Let's take a look what I've got in my compartmented side


I use the compartmented side of this box for yarn eggs, San Juan Worms and similar types of files. There are 3 compartments that are empty and I know that it's because I've been fishing the egg bite on the Yuba. I just transferred a bunch of "Pettis Eggs" from this box to my smaller C&F Box #2. This is sort of how the eggs in this box go. It's somewhat of a re-supply box for the smaller box with eggs.

Eggs - A little story about eggs. I fished about 20 years ago with a guide on the Kenai River in Alaska. We were visiting Laura's sister, and I was able to squeeze in a half day float for rainbows and king salmon while we were visiting. The guide showed me his egg box. It was a big box probably 6" x 10" and all it had in it was yarns eggs, from opaque white all the way to dark red. It was like a painter's color wheel. The rainbows on the Kenai would lock into one specific color and you had to match it. This was before the "Troutbeads" became popular. He would use the eggs from it and then tie or I guess buy new ones to fill the holes back in. There were probably 75 different colors of eggs.


He also had his "secret" scent. He had a bottle of "juice" that he would put on the egg and it was sort of his secret recipe. He seemed pretty secretive about it. Did it make a difference? I know one thing. We caught some big rainbows an he sure thought it did!



Pettis Eggs - I've been sold on the "Pettis Eggs" for quite a while. I fish started using this pattern on the Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam. Since then it's the first egg pattern that I'll try. There's something about how the glass bead glows through the Egg Yarn. The photo on the right doesn't really do the pattern justice as you don't see the red/scarlet bead in the middle until you get it wet. I tie this more pattern more sparse, so the scarlet bead is more visible, sort of how you should tie a Lafontaine Sparkle Pupa.


I tie this pattern in about 4 colors using "Cascade" egg yarn. To tie this pattern correctly you need to get this yarn. So, I use 4 of the 10 compartments for "Pettis eggs."



Alevin Patterns - Once the egg bite is over the Alevin patterns come into play. I really like the pattern, "Fox's Fertilizer". I've had good luck with this pattern on December 1st when the river opens above the Parks Bar Bridge on the Yuba. I use 1 compartment for these.



Other Alevin Patterns - I have 1 compartment with various Alevin patterns. A couple of these, 3 of those, and so forth. These are flies that I have picked up at The Fly Shop in Redding when I have fished the Lower Sac. It seems though, that if I have any "Fox's Fertilizer's" in my box, that's what I'll "Go To."





Glo Bugs - I have a range of colors of yarn eggs collected mainly from "The Fly Shop" in Redding when the egg bite is on and we have been fishing the Lower Sacramento. I have recently started using more "Troutbeads" and have them in a different box. So, I'll probably eventually phase these yarn eggs out. I have 3 compartments with various yarn eggs in different colors.



The "Troutbeads" are the way to go until the next evolution of eggs comes around. I'll go into more detail about the beads when I get into my Bead Box #5.












Sucker Spawn - The sucker spawn is big on the Lower Sacramento River in the spring and early summer. I was told that the "Old Timers" around Redding say that when the cottonwood trees start blossoming and you get the white "cotton candy like" blooms blowing around, "Put on the Sucker Spawn." I carry two colors, One that is yellow and is called "Oregon Cheese" and a pink color that I'm not sure what the name of it is. I have 2 compartments filled with sucker spawn. I would be willing to bet that Sucker Spawn would work below the Parks Bar Bridge at the same time period.





San Juan Worms - I have 2 compartments filled with San Juan Worms. I have them sort of mixed up with different colors and sizes. The San Juan worm can be great on the Yuba after a spring, fall or winter rain storm. If you ever do stream sampling after a storm you will be surprised how many worms are floating down the river. Do a sampling and then match the color. I usually go for one that is darker. I also like a two tone worm.




That pretty much fills up the compartment side. I need to get set up and tie some more Pettis eggs to fill those 3 empty compartments. Like I've said before, this is what I like about keeping your boxes organized and know what's in them. When you find a big hole or empty compartment you know what you used or what was successful. This is better than sitting there staring at your fly box and muttering to yourself, "What the heck was in that spot?" I'm willing to bet you've been there. Right?





The Other Side "Slotted Foam Patch" - Larger Nymphs

The nymphs that I have stored on this leaf are larger nymphs, size 12 & 14 predominately with a few size 16's. These nymphs are more of the attractors or generic nymphs as opposed to imitative nymphs. My imitative nymphs are primarily in the Boxes 1 &2.



Copper Johns


I like Copper Johns. They just seem to work. I've got a row of Red Copper Johns in sizes from 16's and 14's. I've also got some Chartreuse ones. And there are also some bluish purple ones. I've probably got some other colors in a deep storage box too.





I've got a half dozen of the blue/purple copper johns that worked so well a couple of years ago for steelhead on the Trinity, size 14. This was "the fly" of that day.




Flashback Peasant Tails -





I've got a half dozen Flashback Pheasant tails size 14 that I tied with peacock used for the thorax. If in doubt put on a PT, they will get fish to bite almost anywhere.












Morrish's Dirty Bird-



This is another fly that I really like. There is something very fishy about this fly. It's like a "Bushy" birds nest.



The ones I have left in my box are tied with chocolate/brown dubbing. I've got a half dozen of these. The photo at the right is an olive color. I like this pattern using hares ear dubbing also. That's why I don't have any left in here.





Beadhead Hares's Ears


I've got half a dozen beadhead and non-beadhead hare's ear nymphs. Just a general proven searching pattern. I got on a hares ear kick by reading books written by Dave Hughes. I don't go to these as often these days but I always have some in my boxes.













Bird's Nest's


I have a whole row of bird's nests in size 14. I absolutely love this fly. This is a must have fly in everyone's fly box. Read Ralph Cutter's book "Fish Food" about this. This is another "Go To" fly for me. I've used this on the Lower Sac, Yuba, Montana and just about everywhere. The photo on the right is much "yellower' than the patterns that I've got.



Skip's Nymph


I have a dozen of these that I tied. This is another must have "Go To" nymph. It works for a PMD in the right size and is similar to the bird's nest as a general attractor nymph. I like how easy this pattern is to tie with not a lot of different materials. Try it. This is a great fly on the Lower Sacramento River when the PMD's are happening. I like this fly in a size 16 & 18 when the PMD's are happening on the Lower Yuba.





Lafontaine Twist Nymph - I've got a number of Lafontaine's twist nymphs which have a beadhead and tied from his book "Proven Patterns" I have used this fly, which is tied on a size 14 3x long hook, swinging at dusk in the eddy pools on the Yuba. Cast it into the current, let it swing into the eddy water and hold on!



Prince of Darkness

I've just added this fly to the box. It is a "Go To" fly of Ryan Miller who guides out of Nevada City on the Yuba. This is a good looking fly! I think it's a better Dark Lord. It has that tint of green which alwalys seems to do well on the Yuba.








That's the make up of Box #4 and is full of eggs, SJ worms and my "Go To" attractor nymphs.







You can check out this post and others at http://www.flyfishingtraditions.com/




Take some time to organize your fly boxes, it's worth the time spent.




Clay

The Fat Albert or the Chernoble Juicy Bug

My fishing brain trust, me and my fishing buddies, have been playing around with some dry fly attractors on the Lower Yuba and have been enamored with a Fat Albert type fly. This pattern is also called a Chernobyl Juicy Bug by Umpqua.

Many of the Fat Albert ties are wider and more robust looking. While the Juicy Bug tie is longer and the profile is thinner. You can play around and see what profile the trout in the rivers and streams you are fishing work best. You can play around with the leg colors too.

Fat Albert Recipe

• Hook - Tiemco 5262 - A 2X-long dry fly hook. The long shank makes it useful for imitating hoppers.
• Thread - 140 Denier Black Thread or 140 Denier Brown
• Body: 1/8 Foam, Tan and Brown
• Indicator: White Post Material
• Legs: Round Rubber Leg

Tying Instructions for the Fat Albert

Sounds Simple Right? Well let's Tie one up and we'll see.

Step #1 - Start the thread right behind the eye and make a thread base at least partially down the bend of the hook. Return the thread to within a few eye lengths back from the hook eye.











Step #2 - Cut a strip of brown foam that is about as wide as the gap of the hook. This strip should be at least four inches long. Tie the brown foam strip to the hook up near the eye and wrap back over it to the bend.

Step #3 - Continue past the bend a bit to anchor the foam down onto the curve of the hook. Wrap forward again with the thread to the front of the hook.





Step #4 - Cut a strip of tan foam that is about as wide as the gap of the hook like you did for the brown foam.

Step #5 Tie this tan strip in as you did with the brown foam, at the front of the hook on top of where you tied in the brown foam.Wrap back over the tan strip to the bend. Try to bind the foam down tightly as you wrap.









Step # 6 - Spend as much time as is necessary to cover all the foam on the shank with a nice smooth layer of thread as shown here. Be patient and get the foam completely covered with thread.

Step #7 -Bring the thread to about even with the hook barb and let it hang there in preparation for the next step.




Step #8 - Pull the tan foam forward and bind it down with two tight wraps of thread at a point about even with the hook barb(or between the barb and the point).












Step #9 - Lift the foam again and move the thread forward an equal distance. Lay the foam down again and bind down the second segment. Repeat the above process one more time to create three segments that extend just past the halfway point on the shank.

Note - For the Juicy Bug use a longer 3x hook and make 4 segments.







Step #10 - Pull the brown foam strip over the top of the tan foam segments and bind it down in the last tan foam section.











Step #11 - Cut a clump of clear crinkle synthetic post materials of choice. Bind it down in that same segment section at the center of its length. You want to use a material that compresses well and will create very little bulk. Less is better.








Step #12 - Take another tan foam strip (as wide as the hook gap) and tie it down in that same segment (by now you have realized to go easy on the number of wraps for each of these material tie downs...the cumulative effect is plenty to hold everything down but you don t want to make too many turns on any one material to keep the bulk to a minimum)






Step #13 - Cut the synthetic post material down to a short little puff.












Step #14 - Now for the fun stuff. Take a length of rubber leg material, fold it in half and tie an overhand knot so the two strands knotted together form a doubled up leg with a knot. Lay the leg alongside the far side of the hook with the knot at the legs right at the end of the foam body.The rear legs are tied in the same spot as the foam pulled forward earlier.

Step #15 - Tie up another double leg with a knot and tie on the side closest to you. Again, the knot the legs right at the end of the foam body.



Step #16 - Lift all three sheets of foam up and out of the way while you work the thread up to just behind the hook eye.

Step #17 - Lay the first tan foam strip down and bind it in place just behind the eye with a couple tight turns of thread.

Step #18 - Bind the brown foam down on top of the tan foam.

Step #19 - Bind the other tan strip down on top of the brown foam. Try to keep all the strips on top of each other.


Step # 20 - Clip the front end of all three foam strips just beyond the hook eye.

Step #21 - Tie in a single (un-knotted) strand of rubber leg along the near side of the hook in that front joint.

Step #22 - Tie another strand of rubber leg in along the far side of the hook as well.

Step #23 - Tie another strand of rubber leg in along the far side of the hook as well.


The Finished Product

The finished Fat Albert should look something like this.

Quartering View

Bottom View


Top View

Glossosoma Black Caddis Larve

I found this video of Craig Mathews tying a Glossosoma, Black Caddis Larva. He has some interesting comments about the importance of this bug, especially in Greater Yellowstone area.

 

Lower Yuba Flies and Fishing 04-15-13

The Lower Yuba finally is coming into shape after weeks of high and off color water. I was able to float the river with Blake Larsen on April 15th. The flows were just under 4000 cfs. We had found last spring that when the flows are at about 4,000 cfs with about 3 feet of clarity the river starts fishing. You need too watch the CDEC flows and when the river's flows are right, get down there.

With that said, wade fishing will be tough. You'll have to pick your spots and wade carefully.
You'll need to look for areas where the water is running at a medium paced walking speed or less, there are areas along the willow lines that provide this speed as well as in the inside of runs. Eddy pools and back channels are also good bets. Just don't wade too deep or into the faster currents unless you want to go for a swim.

With a boat you can float the river and cherry pick the good holding water. You're looking for the same types as mentioned above. In addition, run a nymph setup through the softer side of riffles where the water isn't raging. You may be surprised, we were.

As far as flies and rigging goes, when these spring flows are happening, I always go for a rubberlegs pattern set up with a deep nymphing rigg. If you've been fishing the river in January and February, the Skwala Stones where happening and the Lower Yuba trout will jump on a big ticket item like a big stonefly, thus the selection of a rubberlegs. I'm a believer that this time a year you want to use a big attractor fly as your point fly and a rubberlegs does the job.

Let's talk about this for a bit. I have been fishing a "Natural Roe", "Troutbead", since September. When I rigg up a indicator nymphing rigg, I've got one on somewhere. It has produced in every month since September, that's almost 6 months in a row. With that in mind I created a pattern I'm calling the "Hot Head Spring Thing". It's an attractor. The triggers are (1) a Hot Orange metal bead, (2) Jay Fair Peacock Chenille, (3) Montana Fly Company's Speckled Centipede Legs. Three proven attractor ingredients. I'm wanted a fly that would come tumbling down the river saying, "Eat Me". I think that this does the trick. I tie this on at the point with a non-slip mono loop.



We've heard reports of march brown's coming off so I thought we would trail a nymph of the day, like a March Brown nymph (photo at left) or a Bird's Nest. You can also use a pheasant tail. We primarily used the Pheasant Tail and it worked.






As a third fly, we tried a few different nymphs like a HBI nymph which represents a PMD. This is one of my proven patterns for the PMD's on the Yuba. Some people say it doesn't work for them, but I'll tell you it does for me! One thing that I do consistently is use more shot than most people and I really believe that makes a difference. It keeps the bugs down in the zone.



As an example, we used a deep indicator rigg with a large thing-a-ma-bobber, about 6 to seven feet of 1x to the shot (lots of it), 18" of 2x to the rubberlegs, 3x to the Pheasant Tail nymph and 18" of 4x to the HBI nymph. This is a spring high water limited visibility rigg. You can go heavier than latter in the spring as the clarity improves. This rigg worked!


We also used a brown rubberlegs with a chenille that had a little sparkle in it with success. Does the color of the rubberlegs matter? Maybe, maybe not, we used these two and they both produced. The thing that is important no matter what color you use, is to use enough weight to keep them down in the zone with the high flows. You want to have the thing-a-ma-bobber sucked down into the water column. No matter what fly you use, none will be effective if they are being buoyed up in the water column because your rigg is under weighted.

All and all we had a very productive day, caught fish where we thought they would be, didn't catch some where we thought the might be, and caught a few in areas that surprised us.

That's fishing, Lower Yuba fishing.

Fishing Report - April 10th, 2014

I swamped out my drift boat and fished the Lower Yuba the other day with my fishing buddy, Frank Rinella, and we had a pretty decent day. The river was running about 650 cfs. and was murky, green. The visibility was about 2 1/2 feet. I'm thinking that Englebright is all mucked up and releasing all this off colored water. With the weather we've been having lately the visibility should be better. The weather was clear and we had a slight breeze throughout the day.

 Lately I have been teaching a group of spey casters the "how to's" of spey casting and haven't been able to get out much to fish, so this was an opportunity I was exited about. I'll tell you that once you're a captain of a your drift boat, you row and get your kicks that way, at least I do anyway. So, although I was behind the oars about 90 percent of the time I still managed a few fish myself when we anchored up or when I took a turn up front. I was good with that, usually I catch one fish say, "OK, I'm good" and hop back in my rowers seat. Such is the life of many guides.

We caught fish in the 15" to 17" range, all using tight line nymphing techniques running flies right on,or near the bottom. The fish we managed to hook up were located in the middle to lower ends of the runs in medium to walking speed water. The fish took;

• Sucker Spawn - Oregon Cheese
• Maroon Spitfire
• Red Copper John
• March Brown Soft Hackle
• March Brown Nymph
• Tan Caddis Nymph

All of the fish were very colored up, which I take as being "Pre-Spawning" Their colors were much darker and had pink on their fins. We carefully scouted the areas where we have seen our resident rainbows spawn in past years and did not see any fish on redds or podding up in or near the spawning areas. My guess is that it is probably a week or two away. 

With that thought in mind, it's my personal opinion that once these fish are on their redds we should let them be. I know it's hard to pass up fish when they are all podded up, but this is their time to repopulate the river with their offspring and we really should let them do their thing. If you can't help yourself then fish a dry with a short dropper and at least make them come up to take it instead of dredging nymphs right on the bottom through the spawning fish. Enough said, I'll get off the soapbox.

I did a seining of the surface film when we saw a few fish rising at about 1:00 and did not come up with much except an few Pale Morning Duns that were about size 18. We didn't spend much time using dries although we had one nice fish take a March Brown Soft Hackle that was trailing off a Skwala Dry. 

We did not encounter anything that you could really call a hatch until about 3:00. There were swallows buzzing the water and taking bugs off the film and in the air. They were very small and I could not identify what they were. We were floating through some walk and wade anglers so I didn't stop and seine the water to do a positive identification. I believe that fishing dries or dry droppers would have been successful though.. Unfortunately I had to get off the river and could not find out.

I'll get back out soon and have an update.

My Fly Box - Box #5 - The Bead Game

My Fly Box #5 is my "Troutbead" box. I wrote this in mid December and the egg bite had tapered off on my home river, the Lower Yuba River, and my yarn egg box is looking pretty meager. I used mostly "Pettis Eggs" this year but I am now stocked and armed with "Troutbeads" which is what this box #5 is all about. The Orvis M4 box itself is a box that has been banging around in my deep storage and hasn't seen the light of day in awhile. I emptyed it and put the flies that where in it into other boxes where now they'll get used.

The box is a small Orvis M4 compartment box with 16 compartments with individually openable lids. Some bigger and some smaller. It's about 4" wide x 4 3/4" tall x 1 3/8" thick. It has a handy lanyard that you can hang around your neck or a bag if you want to.

I've got this box stocked with toothpicks to secure the beads to the tippet, hooks in various sizes and beads of different colors and sizes from "Troutbeads." I purchased most of my beads online from http://www.troutbeads.com/


"Troutbeads" has a huge assortment of beads with multiple shades and variations of colors. They also have many textures. They are also pretty cheap, so I don't mind buying different colored beads to experiment with. This part of the "Bead Game."


"Troutbeads" have colors like; Natural Roe, Dark Roe, Caramel Roe, Glo-Roe, Orange Pearl, Peach Pearl, Salmon, Cheese, Shrimp, Cream etc. The idea is to match the color of the bead to the color of the natural eggs. These colors are only the tip of the iceberg. If you are going to get into the "Bead Game" you will probably need to invest in a couple of large plastic compartmented boxes to store all the different sizes and colors of beads and hooks. You can stock a small box like the M4 of mine on the day you go out fishing with the beads that you think will work or that you want to experiment with.

The "Troutbeads" come in sizes of 6, 8, 10, and sometimes 12mm. You also need to match the size of the eggs. I usually start fishing with 8mm eggs unless someone in the know tells me otherwise. On the Lower Sacramento River when 8mm beads just aren't happening and then you switch to a 6mm bead in the same colors sometimes the trout start biting again.


When trying to select the right color and size of bead to use you need to match the eggs of the Chinnock Salmon in our Northern California Rivers. Salmon enter our rivers and spawn in seasonal waves. A spawning salmon may dig a redd in November, but there may also be drifting salmon eggs that were laid in the gravel weeks before. The trout will have a preference for a certain stage of the egg.

The only way to pick the right egg imitation is by experimentation. You should carry lots of different eggs to cover all possible scenarios. Once you find a working solution, you'll need to stay alert because trout may change their preference during the day or on a different part of the river.

I gathered some of the rigging and painting information assembled below from articles from http://www.westfly.com/

As a basic guideline, the diameters of beads used for Chinook salmon in Northern California are 8.0 mm to 12.0 mm. Steelhead and Rainbow Trout eggs are about 5.2 mm.

Fingernail Polish Applied to Troutbeads

I have been talking with Frank Rinella, a local guide, about how he and other guides on the Lower Sacramento River uses Troutbeads. He has said that they like to paint the beads with fingernail polish. The purpose of painting a bead is to give it the subtle hue of an egg that has milt on it. He usually paints up his beads close to the time he is planning on fishing with them. They look "fresh" that way. I've also read about painting beads with a small orange dot to simulate an egg that is starting to develop.

When painting a bead for usage on the Lower Yuba River, I have been advised to select a fingernail polish that has a pinkish-ivory tint (Shear Peach by Revlon seems to be popular). Some guides apparently can be quite secretive about their favorite fingernail polishes.

Before painting a bead, open a window! Fingernail polish has potent solvents that you don't want to smell too long. To paint a bead with fingernail polish, put the bead on a round toothpick. Hold the nailbrush up to the bead and roll the toothpick with the fingers of your other hand so the polish goes on evenly and covers all the bead. You don't want a gloppy finish; make it smooth. Gloppy finishes usually come from getting too much fingernail polish on the brush. Also, avoid getting polish on the toothpick; if you do, polish may pull off the bead when you remove the toothpick. When the bead is painted, stick the toothpick in a block of styrofoam or similar material while the polish dries.

Some guides in Alaska like to put on two coats of polish. The second coat is a different color and gives the bead a 3D look.

Rigging Bead Eggs

To fish with bead eggs, on the Lower Yuba River rig up a leader of 2X or 3X. A tapered leader works well. Tie on a 12-inch super-fluorocarbon tippet with a blood knot. Put the bead on the tippet below the blood knot. Tie on a size 8-10-12 egg hook similar to a Tiemco TMC2499SP-BL. The size of the hook will depend on the size of bead that you use. I've read that trout and steelhead can be also fussy about the hook color, so some anglers carry these hooks in red, green, black, and brown. I have not tried this myself.

For our local river, the Lower Yuba River, the local guides recomend to peg the bead to the tippet with a toothpick about 3/8 inch to 1/2" from the eye of the hook (that's right: the bead is not on the hook). Use a toothpick (color to match the bead if available) and slide the toothpick into the bead and push it all the way flush with a pair of pliers or foreceps. You don't want any of the toothpick to stick out of either side of the bead.

The photo at the right shows the bead approximately 3/4" to 1" from the eye of the hook. If the fish in the river you are larger, steelhead and larger trout some guides will increase the distance from the eye. The key is to be able to hook the fish inside the mouth and in the corner of the jaw. If you find that you are hooking fish on the outside of the jaw the bead is too far away from the eye of the hook.

One article I read about using beads in Alaska suggests using two beads, if the regulations permit. A large cream coral or pearl peach bead without a hook can serve as an attractor. Peg it to the tippet three to five inches above the "real" bead. You'll have to ask Frank about this one!

Also, some fly-fishing-only waters do not allow a bare hook, so check the regs before you rig.

Attaching Eggs to a Hook

Another way to rigg Troutbeads is to "burn" them onto the hook.

(1) You can also take an egg hook and hold it in a pair of lockable foreceps.

(2) Take the bead you want to use and insert a toothpick into one side of the hole.

(3) Break a portion of the toothpick off, so the toothpick only goes halfway through.

(4) Heat the hook with a "Bic" type lighter for about 4 or 5 seconds.

(5) Press the bead onto the back of the heated hook.

(6) The toothpick should be pointing vertically when you press on the egg.

(7) Take the toothpick out after the hook cools down.

(7) You are good to go.

Try the "Bead Game" you'll have some fun with some trout and steelhead tearing up and down the river.

Chinook Salmon on the Yuba

If you want to check out my Flyboxes #1, 2, 3, &4 check out my earlier blog posts at http://www.flyfishingtraditions.com/

Clay

Patterns - Blue Wing Olives "Baetis"

I've always wanted to put it all together, the bugs, the flies and the techniques to fish them. The Fly Fishing Traditions blog is sort of my Masters Thesis in Fly Fishing. Kinda, Sorta! For me it's a quest of learning about the entomology, the fly patterns to match the hatch and the necessary techniques to play the game effectively. Done in a everyday workman's or tradesman's type way and along the way having fun with it.

This blog entry, "Patterns - Blue Wing Olives Baetis" is my attempt to cover the fly patterns portion of the equation. I am hoping to follow this up with future blog entries to cover the bugs as the season progresses, Skwalas, PMD's etc. But as always life gets in the way so we'll see how it goes.

So, this is the follow up to the blog post “Bugs – The Baetis - Blue Wing Olives” with a selection of patterns that will cover the hatch. This of course is by no means the only patterns that are available for the BWO, Baetis hatch, but will give me and hopefully others a good idea how to set up a fly box to match it. Read some John Gierach stories about him and A.K. Best fishing the BWO hatch, one of his favorite hatches and you'll get a good insight too.

I have researched and provided some patterns and recipes with brief comments on when and how to fish the patterns.

I hope that you will find these patterns useful and when you're on the river when a BWO hatch comes off, you'll be prepared. I know I’d like to find some time to tie some of these patterns up myself. Maybe soon!

I did most of my research on the internet and at http://www.westfly.com/ which is a great site. Check it out for specific tying techniques and steps for most of the patterns listed herein. A great tying instruction book is "Tying Dries" by Randall Kaufman. It's sort of my bible for tying.

______________________________________

Hogan Brown's Patterns

When I look into my flyboxes and I think about what fly to reach for and which one's that I have the most confidence in, I often choose one of Hogan' Brown's patterns. Hogan learned and perfected his craft right here on the Lower Yuba River. So when trying to match a Baetis, BWO, why wouldn't I not go for one of his following patterns? I usually go there first and there is a reason that I have confidence in them. They work. I haven't been able to locate tying instructions for most of his patterns but his flies are distributed through "Iydlewilde Flies" and are available at Nevada City Anglers, The Fly Shop and most other resources on line.


______________________________________
Hogan's S&M Nymph


Hook: TMC 3769 #16-18
Thread: Dark Brown 8/0
Weight: Copper Bead
Ribbing: Wapsi Olive Ultra Wire, SM
Abdomen: Olive Thread 8/0
Tail: Pheasant Tail Fibers
Wingcase: Dark Brown Goose Biot
Thorax: Dark Olive Antron
Legs: Olive Krystal Flash


Notes: I first started using the S&M Nymph when fishing the Lower Sacramento River and it has been a proven producer. When the Lower Sac goes into the small bug bite mode I usually have an S&M nymph or a Military May nymph rigged up. From what I have researched the S&M nymph is weighted by use of a Copper bead head but has additional sinking capabilities through the use of a thread body, streamline shape, and Ultra wire for the distinct segmentation. Hogan uses a Goose Biot for the wingcase which provides a distinct color contrast to the thorax which is typical with natural baetis nymphs having a darker hue on the top of the thorax. Krystal Flash is used for the legs which provides attraction and movement to the fly yet does not detract from it's sinkability. I've often used it as a dropper on the Lower Sac and Lower Yuba when I need to get the nymph down quickly. __________________________________


Hogan's Military May


Hogan's Military May has a more slender profile than the S&M nynph. It's a great idea to catch some baetis nymphs from your screen need when sampling, put them in a white jar lid and then stick your S&M nymph and Military May or Better Baetis nymph in and see which profile matches the natural best. You might be surprised.





Hogan's Better Baetis - I believe that this matches the smallest BWO the best.









Hogan's BWO Sipper


The Hogan's BWO Sipper has also been productive during the BWO hatches when the nymphs are emerging and when you have duns riding the surface.



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Proven Dry Fly Patterns for the BWO, "Baetis"

Parachute Baetis

HOOK: 900BL, sizes 16-20
THREAD: Olive
WING: Mallard flank, tied parachute style
TAIL: Two blue dun Micro Fibbets, split
BODY: Olive Haretron or Superfine
HACKLE: Natural or olive-dyed grizzly


When to Use - Use parachute style flies to ride low in the water and provide a realistic silhouette on runs and glides. Use this fly during hatches of blue-winged olive (Baetis) mayflies when you are matching the dun stage.

Variations - Vary the size and body color to match whatever is hatching. Body colors will range from olive, to brown-olive, to brown. As always a good idea catch a sample to match color.

How to Fish - Dress the fly with floatant and use standard dry fly presentations.
Size counts. During a hatch, try to snag a natural insect, then pick a parachute pattern that is the same size. As Rick Hafele says it's the most important trigger.

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Sparkle Dun
Created by Craig Mathews and John Juracek

HOOK: TMC 100, sizes 16-20
THREAD: Yellow (Olive to match the BWO)
WING: Deer hair, dyed gray. When done tying, flare the wing so it forms an upright semi-circle over the fly.
TAIL: Tan Z-lon, not too thick, (Dun or Olive for the BWO)
BODY: Pale yellow Superfine ( Olive to match natural for the BWO)
Note: The photo below is to match a PMD, Match the colors of the BWO.

Uses - The sparkle dun imitates a hatching mayfly dun. Use this pattern during a hatch when the duns are on the water and trout are feeding on them. The Sparkle Dun is one of the most useful styles to learn to tie. It is not a difficult pattern to master, and it catches fish. Essentially, the fly is a Comparadun with a Z-lon tail that represents the shuck the dun has just emerged from. It's a clever and deadly variation. Craig Matthews should know!


Why does it work so well? Because a dun that has just emerged from the shuck has to dry its wings before it can fly off; thus, it will be on the water for the maximum amount of time. If you were a trout, which mayfly dun would you prefer: one that might fly away before you sip it down, or one that is guaranteed to still be there after you spend the energy to reach it?

Variations - A useful variation is the CDC Sparkle Dun, which uses CDC fibers for the wing. This latter variation is sometimes tied with a mallard flank wing in front of the CDC, but they say that the trout don’t care if the mallard flank is there or not.
This dressing imitates a hatching PMD. To imitate other mayfly duns, vary the size and color.

How to Fish - Dress the fly with floatant and use standard dry fly presentations.


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ComparadunCreated by Al Caucci and Bob Nastasi

HOOK: 900BL, size 12-16, (16 to 20 for BWO)
THREAD: Brown (Olive for the BWO)
WING: Mottled gray deer hair tied upright and flared
TAIL: Blue dun hackle fibers, split
BODY: Tan Superfine or to match dun color (Olive to match naturals for the BWO)

Uses - Comparaduns are useful, durable patterns that imitate the dun stage of mayflies. Use them during a hatch when duns are on the water and are being taken by trout. Comparaduns ride well and float without hackle, which is an advantage on slow, quiet stretches of water. The pattern is more durable than a No Hackle, but it's not as effective on spring creeks.


Variations - Other mayflies can be imitated by using hook sizes and body colors that match the natural insect.


How to Fish - Dress the fly with floatant and use standard dry fly presentations.


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Thorax, OliveCheck out Randal Kaufmann's "Dry Flies" for tying instructions.

HOOK: TMC 100, sizes 14-20
THREAD: Black
WING: White hackle tips
TAIL: Dun hackle or Betts' Tailing Fibers
BODY: Superfine to match natural insect
HACKLE: Light dun. Clip the bottom so it rides flush in the surface film.

Uses - Thorax-style dry flies provide a realistic silhouette and were designed to be used on spring creeks and other slow, clear water situations. Use this pattern during hatches of small mayflies when the duns are on the water.


Variations - Vary the color and hook size to match other mayflies.



How to Fish - Dress the fly with floatant and use standard dry fly presentations. The fly is intended for slow, smooth flows; it will not float well in rough water.
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CDC Baetis
Created by Dave Hill

HOOK: TMC 100, sizes 16-20
THREAD: Olive
TAIL: Betts' Tailing Fibers
BODY: Olive Dazl-Tron
WING: CDC, natural dun color

Uses - Use to imitate blue-winged olive (Baetis) duns when there is a hatch in progress and trout are taking duns from the surface. Because this fly has no hackle, it is particularly effective on slow water, spring creeks, and other situations where trout are acting in a persnickity manner.


Variations - Blue-winged olives come in body colors that range from olive to brown. Choose a color that matches the insects available to trout when and where you are fishing.

How to Fish - Do NOT dress the fly with floatant! CDC flies should be fished au natural. When a fly no longer floats well, put it in a small container of powdered descicant, such as Dry Shake, and shake it up. This removes the moisture, and you're ready to cast again. Use standard dry fly presentations.

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Proven Nymph Patterns

Pale Baetis NymphCreated by Jeff Morgan

HOOK: Dai Riki 310, size 20-22
THREAD: 8/0 rusty dun
TAIL: Three short widgeon flank feathers
ABDOMEN: Tying thread, perhaps counter-ribbed with iron gray 8/0 thread
THORAX: One or two wraps of pale olive dubbing
WINGCASE: Mottled oak Thinskin
LEGS: Pale olive Antron fibers, sparse

Uses -Imitates nymphs of blue-winged olives.

How to Fish - In rivers, the fly can be presented near the surface, but it is usually most productive when fished near the bottom on a dead drift with the indicator or tight line presentations. To achieve the right depth, you may need to put weight on the leader or use the fly on a dropper with a heavier fly on the point. While the fly works well as a searching nymph, it can also be productive during a hatch (more trout than you might suspect are taking nymphs off the bottom rather than duns off the top).

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Hot Spot Pheasant Tail

HOOK: Mustad 9671, sizes 8-20
THREAD: Brown
TAIL: Four pheasant tail fibers
RIB: Fine copper wire
BODY: Pheasant tail fibers wrapped on hook
THORAX: Orange or chartreuse Haretron or sparkle dubbing
WINGCASE: Pheasant tail fibers pulled over the thorax


Uses - The bright thorax may help fish focus on this variation of the traditional Pheasant Tail Nymph. "Hot spots" such as this bright thorax may not be as unnatural as they might appear.





Variations - Can be tied with or without a beadhead. Vary the size to match different insect species.

How to Fish - In rivers, the fly can be presented near the surface, but it is usually most productive when fished near the bottom on a dead drift with the indicator or tight line presentations.

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Proven Emerger and Cripple Patterns

Baetis Cripple
Created by Bob Quigley

HOOK: 1X Fine wire, Standard shank, Turned-Down eye; e.g., TMC 100 or equivalent; sizes 16-20
THREAD: Brown
TAIL: Pheasant tail fibers
ABDOMEN: Wrapped pheasant tail fibers
THORAX: Olive or brown Superfine dubbing
WING: Tan deer hair
HACKLE: Olive grizzly


Uses - "Cripple" patterns represent mayflies that are either just emerging or that got stuck in the shuck while emerging. In either case, the insect isn't going anywhere soon. Trout recognize this vulnerable condition and feed eagerly on cripples when they see them. When you're confronted with a blizzard hatch, where your fly is one small speck among hundreds or thousands of natural insects, a cripple pattern is a great way to induce trout to take your fake.
This dressing is in the "Quigley" style and represents a crippled blue-winged olive (Baetis) mayfly.



Variations -Blue-winged olives come in body colors that range from olive to brown. Choose a color that matches the insects available to trout when and where you are fishing.

How to Fish -Dress the front half of the fly (only) with floatant and use standard dry fly presentations

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Baetis Marabou Cripple
Created by Bob Quigley

Materials:
Hook: TMC 2302, #8-10
Thread: Olive 6/0
Tail: 3 Olive Emu Fibers
Wing: Yellow Dyed Deer Hair
Abdomen: Olive Marabou
Ribbing: Single Strand of Dark Green Floss
Thorax: Deer Hair
Hackle: Light Grey Hackle


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Barrs Emerger


John Barr created this pattern in 1975 while fishing upon the Nelson's Spring Creek in Montana. Noticing that he was getting little interest in a PMD hatch with his dry patterns, he used a nymph and finally caught a trout. Upon pumping the stomach, John noticed that partially hatched nymphs with the shuck still attached were present on the back of the trout's tongue. John developed his emerger pattern based upon the appearance of these partially developed nymphs and created his "Barr's Emerger".


Materials:
Hook: TMC 106TC #16-24
Thread: Olive 8/0
Abdomen: Brown/Olive Dubbing with Antron mixed
Tail: Brown Hackle Fibers
Thorax: PMD Superfine
Wingcase: Dun Hackle Fibers




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CDC Bubble Emerger

HOOK: Dai Riki 135, sizes 18-22
TAIL: Pheasant tail fibers
RIBBING (OPTIONAL): Fine brass
ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail fibers wrapped on hook
WING: Bubble of CDC. Use white for tricos or PMDs, dun for others
OVERWING: 1-3 strands of pearl Krystalflash
THORAX: Dubbing to match natural


Uses - Many blue-winged olive (Baetis) spinners dive or crawl underwater to lay their eggs. This fly imitates those spinners, and fishes well when you see lots of adults flying around but you can't get trout to take your dun imitations. A beautiful pattern, you'll these just for the pleasure of it. But don't forget to cast them!


Variations - Blue-winged olives vary slightly in color from olive to brown, depending on species, location, and time of year. Try to match the size and color of the natural insects, but remember that size is more important than color. If you want, you can add a pearl bead in the thorax.


How to Fish - Use indicator or tight line nymphing tactics.

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Diving Baetis Spinner

HOOK: Dai Riki 310 or 305, size 16-22
TAILS: Dun Microfibetts
EGG SAC: Bright yellow dubbing
BODY: Olive-brown turkey biot or olive-brown dubbing
WING: Z-wing or tan Raffia, tied back and clipped to shape
HACKLE: One-and-half wraps of starling


Uses -Many blue-winged olive (Baetis) spinners dive or crawl underwater to lay their eggs. This fly imitates those spinners, and fishes well when you see lots of adults flying around but you can't get trout to take your dun imitations.A beautiful pattern, you'll these just for the pleasure of it. But don't forget to cast them!


Variations -Blue-winged olives vary slightly in color from olive to brown, depending on species, location, and time of year. Try to match the size and color of the natural insects, but remember that size is more important than color. If you want, you can add a pearl bead in the thorax.


How to Fish - Use indicator or tight line nymphing tactics.

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Proven Spinner Pattern

CDC Biot Spinner

HOOK: 1X Fine wire, Standard shank, Turned-Down eye; e.g., TMC 100 or equivalent; sizes 16-20
THREAD: Olive
UNDERWING: Light blue dun CDC, tied spread-eagled (spinner style)
OVERWING: Light blue dun Z-lon
TAIL: Light blue dun Betts' Tailing Fibers. Use 2-4 and split them.
ABDOMEN: Olive turkey biot
THORAX: Medium olive or olive-brown Superfine


Uses -Use to imitate mayfly spinners when the natural spinners are on the water and trout are taking them from the surface.


Variations -This dressing is for a blue-winged olive mayfly spinner. Other mayflies can be imitated by using hook sizes and body colors that match the natural insect.








How to Fish - Do NOT dress the fly with floatant! CDC flies should be fished au natural. When a fly no longer floats well, put it in a small container of powdered descicant, such as Dry Shake, and shake it up. This removes the moisture, and you're ready to cast again. Use standard dry fly presentations.

Hen Spinner, Blue QuillCreated by Mike Lawsen

HOOK: TMC 100, sizes 12-18
THREAD: Gray
WING: Light blue dun hen hackle tips, tied spread-eagled
TAIL: Blue dun hackle fibers, split
BODY: Blue-dyed hackle feather stem
HACKLE: Blue dun, clipped top and bottom

Uses - When trout are sipping the spinner stage of mayflies, this can be an effective pattern. Tied in the right sizes, this dressing imitates the spinner stage of many blue-winged olives and most blue duns. The wings should lie flat on the water. Check out additional photos of this fly pattern at http://www.westfly.com/


Variations - The Rusty Spinner, which imitates the spinner stage of many blue-winged olive mayflies, is tied on size 14-18 hooks with a dubbed body of rust-brown Superfine. Vary the size and colors to match other mayfly spinners.

How to Fish - Dress the fly with floatant (be careful of the wings) and use standard dry fly presentations.