Materials

Hook:	TMC 2302 or Mustad 3906B, #14-22 Note: for the contest we will use size 14 to keep the playing field even.
Thread:	Olive 8/0 for smaller sizes; 6/0 sizes 14 and 16
Body:	Medium olive rabbit or muskrat dubbing
Wing	Blue dun turkey flat
Tail:	Lemon wood duck flank feather or dyed wood duck breast
Tail:	Four to ten blue dun hackle fibers
Legs:	Brown partridge
Rib:	Brown silk or flat nylon thread
Thorax:	Same as body
Wing case:	Mottled turkey tail
Bead:	Gold, sized to match hook (optional)

BWO Baetis Nymph

Fall and winter are nearly upon us. I guess I’ll be fishing the Upper Sac this winter, since now the regulations allow year-round fishing (single barbless hook, no kill after November 15^th). That being the case, the October Caddis hatch will be fishable a bit longer. However, winter means baetis time, and baetis means “blue wing olive” and tiny flies. “Blue wing olive” is a generic name for a broad range of different colors and sizes of the baetis bug. There is a good article in the latest Fly Tyer magazine by Scott Sanchez on Baetis, their life cycle and the variations you can expect to find. Olive is always a good bet for baetis imitations. The Blue Wing Olive Nymph is a generic pattern of uncertain origin; the important thing is that it works. It is not the only effective pattern for baetis—don’t forget the PT, with or without a bead. You will need to determine, through research, what color and size baetis inhabit the stream that you plan on fishing. Next month we will feature the baetis emerger, and for December the adult will take center stage.

Tying instructions:

1. Mount thread just above the back of the barb area. Build a tiny dubbing ball here.

2. Measure four to ten blue dun hackle fibers to the length of the shank, and tie them in just ahead of the dubbing ball. Split them into two bunches of equal size by bringing thread up between the fibers.

3. Move the thread forward to the halfway point on the shank. Trim out the top center of the stem of a blue dun turkey flat, and strip off all of the short fibers near the bottom of the stem.

4. Squeeze the clump together to form a bunched, flat wing, and measure it to the length of the shank. Position it at the midpoint of the hook, or just ahead of that point, and tie it in directly on top of the hook. Trim the butts at an angle tapering to the rear of the hook, and tie them down.

5. Lift the wing while keeping it squeezed between thumb and forefinger, and take a wrap around its base. As you wrap around the base, pull rearward and catch the thread in the remaining stubs of the butts. That is all that is needed to stand this wing up properly.

6. Return the thread to the tail area and dub a slender, tapered abdomen.

7. Just behind the wing, tie in a blue dun saddle or neck hackle of proper size.

8. Dub a nice thorax behind and in front of the wing, leaving a space behind the hook eye for the head.

9. Wrap the hackle in back and in front of the wing. Six or seven wraps should be enough. Tie the hackle off and form a nice, small head.

Don your specs so you can see this tiny creature, dress warmly, and see ya on the creek...for some cold winter fishing.

Copyright 1998 by Granite Bay Flycasters unless otherwise noted.