Can someone point me in a direction for some good BWO patterns?

First, I'm going to admit that I am a multi-species, multi-technique fisherman. I do not limit myself to just fly fishing (although it's up there), "hardware" fishing for those "green fish", and/or bait fishing for all sorts of fish.

This morning, I went to a spot on the Arkansas River, just below Keystone Dam. All the rain in the past month up in Kansas has been draining through here, and the river is in flood, with the dam releasing anywhere from 30,000 - 70,000 cfs. My goal was to catch some Shad, and use those for bait for them whiskered demons (of which I did catch a couple).

Once I got there, I saw what I thought was a small cloud of midges over the shore. Oh cool! Midge hatch!

Well, after looking at them closely, I realized these were NOT midges. They had tails! Since I've been reading the FAOL site for a little over a year now, I realized these were probably some kind of tiny mayfly, either a BWO or a Trico.

When I got home, I did a quick Google search and quickly found the ODWC hatch chart for the state. Lo and behold, this is the last month for a BWO hatch!

I already have some Griffith's Gnats in size 20, as well as a few different midge patterns in size 20. Does anyone have a pattern or two they can point me towards? Assuming I need anything to actually try to match this hatch. I know the Bluegill will inhale them; that's what the Griffith's Gnats and midge dries are for.

The hard decison on materials is which jar of olives to buy - unpitted, pitted with pimento, or black.

More seriously, there are a lot of BWO patterns, but I've always done well with just using a parachute Adams fly for them.

Olive thread body, natural dun CDC wing. If you want, use a couple fibers of mallard flank or partridge for tail. Keep them simple, because like you said, they will get swallowed anyways.

For a size 20, I'd go with a wingless hackle collar fly or a parachute. Both with olive thread bodies.

here is a quick, easy and effective BWO comparadun.

http://3brothersflies.com/2012/01/26...wo-comparadun/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AllenOK

First, I'm going to admit that I am a multi-species, multi-technique fisherman. I do not limit myself to just fly fishing (although it's up there), "hardware" fishing for those "green fish", and/or bait fishing for all sorts of fish.

This morning, I went to a spot on the Arkansas River, just below Keystone Dam. All the rain in the past month up in Kansas has been draining through here, and the river is in flood, with the dam releasing anywhere from 30,000 - 70,000 cfs. My goal was to catch some Shad, and use those for bait for them whiskered demons (of which I did catch a couple).

Once I got there, I saw what I thought was a small cloud of midges over the shore. Oh cool! Midge hatch!

Well, after looking at them closely, I realized these were NOT midges. They had tails! Since I've been reading the FAOL site for a little over a year now, I realized these were probably some kind of tiny mayfly, either a BWO or a Trico.

When I got home, I did a quick Google search and quickly found the ODWC hatch chart for the state. Lo and behold, this is the last month for a BWO hatch!

I already have some Griffith's Gnats in size 20, as well as a few different midge patterns in size 20. Does anyone have a pattern or two they can point me towards? Assuming I need anything to actually try to match this hatch. I know the Bluegill will inhale them; that's what the Griffith's Gnats and midge dries are for.

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If this is the hatch chart, Ck. it again...it says "ALL YEAR":

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/fi...trouthatch.htm


There are a few patterns for those guys...HERE :p:

http://planettrout.wordpress.com/201...tis-bwos-2012/


PT/TB

OK, here goes. Pardon the pic quality because I rushed things to get this up during lunch.

Here is an easy 4-step pattern that does very well for me when BWO's get small.

Attachment 12188

Start thread and move to the rear of the shank

Attachment 12189

Tie in Wood Duck flank fibers and move thread back to the 2/3rds point of the shank

Attachment 12190

Tie in tuft of natural CDC and stand upright with thread wraps. Then move the thread back to the tie in point of the tail.

Attachment 12191

Build tapered abdomen with tying thread, then dub small amount of olive spectrablend and build thorax, further supporting the wing. Whip finish.


LBWO CDC
Hook: #20-24 standard dry
Thread: Olive/dun Uni 8/0
Tail: Wood Duck flank
Abdomen: Tying thread
Thorax: Olive Orvis Spectrablend

Thank you all for the suggestions! That gives me a good starting point.

Planettrout, yes, that was the chart I found. I guess I've still got those big yellow Hex's on my mind; those are the ones with the June/July/August hatch. Like you said, the BWO's are year-round.

I can tell you but then I WILL have to kill you!:)

NJT,

Nice job!! A fav. of mine too when the little buggers (#22-#28 Pseudo's/Plauditis) show themselves.

Jeremy.

We have them here in MA, from late summer through much of the winter. Most are not the #18/#20 Baetis, but rather the #24.#28 Pseudos.

Jeremy,

Sometimes it's hard to beat a simple but effective classic. :)

Ralph

I tie a realistic mayfly for flat water. Scroll to the bottom of this post ---> http://www.flyfishfood.com/2013/03/the-spring-trout-primer.html
Cheech

This is a good pattern...but I'm also going to suggest that you try swapping out the CDC with snowshoe rabbit foot fibers. (cut the wing shorter). It will refloat after one or two false casts, unlike CDC. It's my go to BWO pattern....I also tie it as an emerger, with the tail being a few sparse fibers of olive antron or Z-lon. If you tie them small (22-26) just use olive thread for the body.