Water Boatman ?

Last night I was watching a 30 minute fly tying program hosted by Leroy
Hyatt and Carolyn Sells. Leroy tied three flies, one being the water
boatman. He said it is a very good pattern in still water and slack water
river conditions.

I personally don't have a water boatman in my fly arsenal. After hearing
more about the pattern, I think I should probably tie a few up.

Do any of you use the water boatman and what kind of experiences have you
had with this pattern? What types of conditions have you used the
pattern...?

TIA,
JT

Jeff Taylor wrote:

Last night I was watching a 30 minute fly tying program hosted by Leroy
Hyatt and Carolyn Sells. Leroy tied three flies, one being the water
boatman. He said it is a very good pattern in still water and slack water
river conditions.

I have never hooked a trout using one but I don't do much still/slow
water trout fishing. I keep them in my warm water fly selection. The
bluegill in Indiana can't seem to leave it alone. I found they work
better close to shore and be sure to make the fly "plop" when it hits
the water.

The one that I tie is similar to a beetle pattern just fewer legs and
I've had good success in late summer with beetles so might just have to
give it a try this season.

Brian Chan's recommendation for water boatman and backswimmer:

The more numerous water boatman are grazers. The larger backswimmers are
hunting predators.

hook: heavy wire, 1X long, sizes 12 and 10
thread: black
back: PT fibers, about two dozen. strip of plastic sheeting over top
(optional)
body: dark- or emerald-green plastic chenille.
legs: Black Super Floss or Flexi Floss, threaded through the body with a
needle, held with glue

retrieve:
type III or IV full-sinking line, fast 3- or 4-inch strips. (or
sometimes just under the surface with a floating line)

I think I've caught a fish or two on a flyshop-bought backswimmer
pattern over the years, but I've never tied the fly or fished it much.

I think a Prince Nymph tied with large dark biot wings would be a decent
water boatman pattern. Maybe trim off the tail.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"rw" wrote in message
nk.net...
Brian Chan's recommendation for water boatman and backswimmer:

The more numerous water boatman are grazers. The larger backswimmers are
hunting predators.

hook: heavy wire, 1X long, sizes 12 and 10
thread: black
back: PT fibers, about two dozen. strip of plastic sheeting over top
(optional)
body: dark- or emerald-green plastic chenille.
legs: Black Super Floss or Flexi Floss, threaded through the body with a
needle, held with glue

That pattern looks good. On the show last night, Leroy was using goose biot
(sp?) for the legs. It looked pretty nice.

JT

Water boatmen and backswimmers usually provide best fishing during early
spring and fall mating and migration flights. I once had a good day during
such a flight and what a day. A water boarman flight followed by little
caenis mayfies and then by midges. On that day the trout wanted the boatman
right on the top - I can't remeber the exact name of the pattern but it used
a closed cell foam body cut to shape, the back was painted and marked with
pantone then coated with aquaseal. Legs were from superfloss.

Here's a good site:

http://www.flycraftangling.com/entomology_boa.html

Phil Rowly who hosts the site (which has good info on all stillwater
hatches)is a well knwon fly tyer and is a business associate of Brian Chan -
mentioned in posts above. Chan, a biologist by profession, is also a senior
executive in Fisheries BC the Public Body that manages British Columbias
frshwater sport fishing opportunities.

"Jeff Taylor" wrote in message
Do any of you use the water boatman and what kind of experiences have you
had with this pattern?

Apart from their function as fish food, I've been curious where these things
come from. Whenever the chlorine level in my backyard pool drops low
enough, I'll start to see a few swimming around. They're really cool little
guys, but how do they get into my pool? Are they a developmental stage of a
flying insect?

Joe F.

"rb608" wrote in message
news:6StLf.50456$6f2.31865@trnddc02...
"Jeff Taylor" wrote in message
Do any of you use the water boatman and what kind of experiences have you
had with this pattern?

Apart from their function as fish food, I've been curious where these
things come from. Whenever the chlorine level in my backyard pool drops
low enough, I'll start to see a few swimming around. They're really cool
little guys, but how do they get into my pool? Are they a developmental
stage of a flying insect?

The following site has a pretty good run down on the water boatman. I had no
idea they could fly when reaching the adult stage... I suppose they are
coming from a near by stream or lake, after mating, they find there way to
your pool.

This site also has 4 patterns at the end that look pretty good.

http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure...rboatmen.phtml

Interesting little bug,
JT

Jeff Taylor wrote:
He said it is a very good pattern in still water and slack water
river conditions.


One August, hot mid-day, I was fishing a strong boulder-strew run on
the upper Credit in Ontario. It was usually good for 2 or 3 good
browns on a caddis. No luck. A polite fisherman appeared and turned
around when he saw me there, but I invited him to try his luck. He took
3 browns with a fly I had never seen, a water boatman he called it. I
still have the one he gave me.

The body is herl, the top from front to end sparsely covered with with
some sort ot mottled gray barby feather. There is a single black
spent-wing made from piece of rubber inner tube and a bit of gold at
the end of the body.

Cheers

the pattern was the Jennings Waterboatmen

http://www.kalflyfishers.ca/flysPatt...%20boatman.htm

" Ralph Heidecke" wrote in message
newsEtLf.66160$H%4.27420@pd7tw2no...


Water boatmen and backswimmers usually provide best fishing during early
spring and fall mating and migration flights. I once had a good day during
such a flight and what a day. A water boarman flight followed by little
caenis mayfies and then by midges. On that day the trout wanted the
boatman right on the top - I can't remeber the exact name of the pattern
but it used a closed cell foam body cut to shape, the back was painted and
marked with pantone then coated with aquaseal. Legs were from superfloss.

Here's a good site:

http://www.flycraftangling.com/entomology_boa.html

Phil Rowly who hosts the site (which has good info on all stillwater
hatches)is a well knwon fly tyer and is a business associate of Brian
Chan - mentioned in posts above. Chan, a biologist by profession, is also
a senior executive in Fisheries BC the Public Body that manages British
Columbias frshwater sport fishing opportunities.

great site, it also answered my question as to why I never saw a fish
take a "backswimmer":
"This is the only non-biting or non-stinging member of the water bugs.
It should not be confused with the larger Backswimmer (family ... if
you have ever been stung by a Backswimmer you will understand why the
trout tend to avoid them." 2 different bugs!