SWMBO gloat and some more pics of flies

Howdy,

SWMBO and I celebrated our anniversary on Tuesday, and one of the
gifts she gave me was a trip to Sedona in April. Of course I have to
fish while we're there, and I remember that Oak Creek looked inviting
when we were there last. After doing some reading on it, it appears
that there are mostly stockers, with the possibility of catching some
streambred fish in some areas.

The bad news is that the hatches at that time of year appear to be
mostly #18 and #20 BWO's with a few small black stoneflies thrown in for
good measure.

So I tied up a few para BWO's last night, keeping in mind the
suggestions that I've received about my flies being too bulky. Well,
it's damned hard to tie a #20 without it seeming bulky. I was tempted
to just use thread bodies, but I stuck with dubbing.

These were tied with flourescent chartreuse para-post, BWO superfine
dubbing, and dark dun hackle tails with dark dun parachute hackle. I'm
still not sure I've got the bodies thin enough and the tails sparse
enough, but frankly, I could barely see/handle the materials as it was.
:-)

So here are a few shots:

http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/BWO04.jpg
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/BWO05.jpg
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/BWO06.jpg


Chuck Vance

Conan The Librarian wrote:
Howdy,

SWMBO and I celebrated our anniversary on Tuesday, and one of the
gifts she gave me was a trip to Sedona in April. Of course I have to
fish while we're there, and I remember that Oak Creek looked inviting
when we were there last.

Congrats of the prize(s). Oak Creek Canyon is one of my most favorite
places in the world. During my last trip out that way, I stopped by this
sto http://www.azflyfishing.com/ . The guy was pleasant and seemed
very helpful, although I never tested his information as I didn't have
time to fish. There's a lot of information and links on his web site.
snip
Nice ties, and it seems BWO and Adams work just about everywhere.
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Very pretty... very small, but very pretty!

; - )

Enjoy your trip!

--
remove the dried fruit to reply

"Conan The Librarian" wrote

The bad news is that the hatches at that time of year appear to be
mostly #18 and #20 BWO's

BAD news?? Baetis are one of God's greatest creations G This is
especially true if you like going blind young, and freezing fingers.
I may drive all the way to Dillon for a couple weeks in April just to suffer
at their hand.

I've been trying to figure out digital macro and I'm not pleased with my
progress, but you gave me an excuse to go try a few more shots.

I pulled some of my favorite BWO ties out of my baetis box, several
individuals have been used so aren't pristine. Clockwise from top, sparkle
dun ( the body of this fly is damn close to 'right color' for the early
season baetis where I fish, a gray with olive overtones ), turkey flat
parachute (I actually prefer thorax ties, but didn't seem to have any left,
except one very beat up one ), spinner ( don't hesitate to fish as a wet),
CDC bubble back emerger, knockdowned dun ( this is a crappy individual,
turkey flat or other dark gray wing is better, I recently found some dark
gray organza and I'm going to try it hoping the dark will provide proper
outline and the added sparkle will simulate the meniscus sparkle caused by
the fluttering trapped wing. But knocked down adults are very common in the
nasty baetis weather and knocked down duns are a good pattern to carry, just
tie them better than the example), nymphy thingy ( PT nymphs work great, for
baetis I like the copper thorax ones), CDC zelon emerger RS-2like dealie,
and a nymph. Everything is an #18, 19, or 20

After looking at the photo, I could have done a better job of choosing, but
I'm too lazy to go back and try right now G

http://www.kimshew.com/BFP/twobits.jpg

Larry L wrote:


I also like Olives/"Baetis" a lot. It's the first and last hatch of the
year here in Colorado and lasts much longer than any other hatch, by
far. When the hatch first starts up, it takes the fish awhile to get
onto the dries. Once they do, the fish are easy at first but as the
hatch goes on over a number of weeks, the fish get tougher and tougher.
It's the only hatch that I feel I need to carry a range of different
flies here in CO.

I'm definitely no entomologist but I think there are a number of
different mayflies that are lumped into what fishermen call "Baetis" -
any little gray mayfly is a "Baetis". Here in Colorado, "Baetis" will
range in size from an 18 to a 24, body color will range from a creamy
pale olive to a dark gray, wings will vary in color from almost clear to
a slate gray.

I know this hatch/hatches better than any other because I've had much
more opportunity to fish it. Some of the things I learned:

The flies are smaller than they look on the water. Most people here in
CO fish them with an 18. I've seen few flies that are 18's most are 20's
and 22's.

On cloudy and inclement days, there are MANY more flies on the water
than on sunny ones.

Once the hatch has been going on for a week or more and the sky is
overcast, some of the best fish will move into very shallow water at the
head of pools to feed. It's very hard to distinguish their rise form
from a small fish but sometimes you can see them "push" water as they
move to feed. Little fish don't "push" much water. If you don't spook
them, these are very catchable fish. They're only there as long as the
hatch is strong and they're only there to feed.

As the hatch goes on, the fish get tougher and different fish key onto
different things. If I find a tough fish, first I'll go down in size. If
that doesn't work, I'll change the type of fly tie hackled, parachute, no
hackle or an emerger. The only time I bother with color is if the hatch
is particularly light or dark. Usually by the time I get to that point
the fish is put down.

My favorite fly for the hatch is a CDC comparadun with either a quill or
thread body, 3 spread filarabits? for a tail and a lightly dubbed
thorax. I also tie a sparse parachute with the same body and tail and a
standard hackle fly. For an emerger I either use an RS2 style fly with a
CDC wing or I just cut back the wing on one of the CDC dries. On this
hatch, I believe one of these flies in the right size will take almost
any surface feeding fish with a good presentation.

Willi

"Willi" wrote

I'm definitely no entomologist but I think there are a number of
different mayflies that are lumped into what fishermen call "Baetis" -

for sure, and there are actually a lot of baetis species, too ... even for
the entomologists

some places the fishermen seem to use "baetis" others "BWO" and others
"olives" ... I think all those places and names account for a lot of
different bugs with very similar characteristics ........ I've given up on
sorting out the true entomology, although, by nature, I'd like to be able to





My favorite fly for the hatch is a CDC comparadun with either a quill or
thread body, 3 spread filarabits? for a tail and a lightly dubbed
thorax.



Neither of my two favorites was in my photo, I should have looked harder G
.... one is very similar to what you describe, but might be called a CDC
Sparkle Dun ...I sometimes use a quill body, sometimes just dubbing and
thread. The other is a knock down dun, really a thorax tie with the
wing on one side instead of the top ... lightly hackled, v-clipped on bottom
.. A PT nymph, floated, is another "first choice" and as you and others
on roff have pointed out a RS2 is hard to beat ... my variations include
sparse zelon or a doubled strand of crystal flash for the tails, not, to be
honest, because of effectiveness, but because I have a bitch of a time tying
and splitting two microbibits in these small sizes.

I agree size is far more important than color, and one reason, imho, the RS2
is so strong is it's extra sparseness

Thanks for all the other info, chasing Colorado Olives remains on my 'hope
to someday" list

"Willi" wrote in message
...
Larry L wrote:


I also like Olives/"Baetis" a lot. It's the first and last hatch of the
year here in Colorado and lasts much longer than any other hatch, by
far. When the hatch first starts up, it takes the fish awhile to get
onto the dries. Once they do, the fish are easy at first but as the
hatch goes on over a number of weeks, the fish get tougher and tougher.
(stuff snipped)
Willi


Hi Willi,
Dang . . .ya just keep giving up the secrets. (grin)
Hope all is going well with you.
BestWishes,
DaveMohnsen
Denver

Conan The Librarian wrote:

Howdy,

So here are a few shots:

http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/BWO04.jpg
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/BWO05.jpg
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/BWO06.jpg


Chuck Vance

bring those to graham county...!!

Jeff Miller wrote:

[teeny BWO's]

bring those to graham county...!!

Oh **** ... I thought the fish there weren't particular. Are you
telling me I'm gonna have to fish #20's there? ;-)

Who tied up some #16 para Adams last night and they looked downright
*huge*. :-)


Chuck Vance

tie them in 14 & 16 & 18 for graham and swain county... they looked good
to me, and i'd be willing to bet they'll look good enough to the
graham county trout. parachutes are my favorite pattern and always seem
to work most places i've been...except when they don't.

jeff

Conan The Librarian wrote:

Jeff Miller wrote:

[teeny BWO's]

bring those to graham county...!!


Oh **** ... I thought the fish there weren't particular. Are you
telling me I'm gonna have to fish #20's there? ;-)

Who tied up some #16 para Adams last night and they looked downright
*huge*. :-)


Chuck Vance