Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York

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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Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Ventral view of a Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

With a bit of help from the microscope, this specimen keys clearly and unsurprisingly to Hydropsyche.

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27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.

Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or support the project for an enhanced experience here.

Trailing Shuck

Baetis (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Nymph

13 Pictures

Dorsal view of a Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Nymph from Mongaup Creek in New York

Collected May 5, 2007 from Mongaup Creek in New York

Added by Troutnut on May 18, 2007

Collected May 5, 2007 from Mongaup Creek in New York and added by Troutnut on May 18, 2007

Baetis7
MI

Posts: 17

Baetis7 on Aug 20, 2014August 20th, 2014, 9:08 am EDT

I have noticed a good amount of baetis nymph shucks tied with an orange antron or similar material. What do you folks think about the right color for a shuck?

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on Aug 20, 2014August 20th, 2014, 10:49 am EDT

Yeah, LaFontaine liked to use orange wings on his emergers - his "Theory of Attraction" working there as opposed to imitation. The mysterious success of the color orange when incorporated in flies used during hatches of olive mayflies goes back many years. It was reported by English authors at least as far back as 80 years ago, perhaps more. In my experience, sometimes it seems to help - but usually not.

"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman