Blue-winged Olives
Baetis
Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.
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As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
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Female Baetis (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun Pictures
This little early-season dun molted into this spinner after I photographed her.
This mayfly was collected from Mongaup Creek in New York on April 19th, 2006 and added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on April 21st, 2006.
Discussions of this Dun
Baetis doesn't look like a BWO!!
10 replies
Posted by Adirman on Sep 10, 2010
Last reply on Sep 12, 2010 by Martinlf
I was just going through some pics on the site and looking at Baetis, it really doesn't look much like a true BWO does it? I think a more effective dry pattern for these would be something more along the lines of like a March Brown or something, maybe a royal Wulff?
BWO at last!
3 replies
Posted by CaseyP on Oct 16, 2009
Last reply on Nov 15, 2009 by RedQuill27
read no further if stories of personal revelation are not your thing...
at last i have actually seen these little wonders hatching on a not-very-nice day (overcast and 46 degrees) on a very nice creek. gee, they are neat! the cold kept them on the water for quite a while and they did indeed look just like little sailboats. the small eddies and riffles seemed not to bother them at all, and made the whole assembly look like a tiny square dance. now i understand what all the fuss is about.
the best/worst part was letting my store-bought fly drift among them. it was the right size, but the wing was too short and the hackle should have been dun, not grizzley. stream-side tying was out of the question 'cause my fingers were numb. i did get one fish, but he might have been after the real one next the imitation...
so, back to the bench and those awful tiny hooks. lots of baseball to tie to these days...;-)
at last i have actually seen these little wonders hatching on a not-very-nice day (overcast and 46 degrees) on a very nice creek. gee, they are neat! the cold kept them on the water for quite a while and they did indeed look just like little sailboats. the small eddies and riffles seemed not to bother them at all, and made the whole assembly look like a tiny square dance. now i understand what all the fuss is about.
the best/worst part was letting my store-bought fly drift among them. it was the right size, but the wing was too short and the hackle should have been dun, not grizzley. stream-side tying was out of the question 'cause my fingers were numb. i did get one fish, but he might have been after the real one next the imitation...
so, back to the bench and those awful tiny hooks. lots of baseball to tie to these days...;-)
Now to tie a Baetis Dun Imitation
3 replies
Posted by DarkDun on Jan 16, 2007
Last reply on Jan 16, 2007 by Martinlf
Hook:#20
Thread: Deep Brown 8/0
Wings: Dark Dun
Tails: Dark Dun Split
Abdomen: Stripped Dark brown hackle
Thorax:Rusty Brown Dubbing
Legs: Light Brown or Cree hackle tied sparse
Does this sound good? Would like to here some comments about successful paterns
Thread: Deep Brown 8/0
Wings: Dark Dun
Tails: Dark Dun Split
Abdomen: Stripped Dark brown hackle
Thorax:Rusty Brown Dubbing
Legs: Light Brown or Cree hackle tied sparse
Does this sound good? Would like to here some comments about successful paterns
Start a Discussion of Dun
Female Baetis (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun Pictures
Collection details
Location: Mongaup Creek, New York
Date: April 19th, 2006
Added to site: April 21st, 2006
Author: Troutnut
Date: April 19th, 2006
Added to site: April 21st, 2006
Author: Troutnut