Baetis Spinners

[JohnScott]

Found some baetis spinners in a small, still backwater of the Henry's Fork a couple days ago. Took a few macro shots in the actual setting, even though it doesn't look like they are on the water, and then used some photo processing software to crop and enlarge one of the pics. Thought you all might enjoy it.



The naturals would be about a size 18. Haven't thought through how I would tie an imitation, yet. A sparse CDC or gray antron wing, CDL for the tails, dark olive or gray biot abdomen, dark gray dubbed thorax, and maybe several wraps of a grizzly dry fly hackle for legs / floatation ??

Anyone else care to venture a recipe for these little guys ??

John

[Flyrodde]

Check out JC's article for april 28th 2003.

There was also a neat series someone wrote (maybe JC but in not totally sure) on taking photos of flies underwater and the sight of fish and how the view is different from beneath the surface. Can't find it now. If someone does, can you post a link or tell us how to get to it? I'd like to read it again.

[JohnScott]

Flyrodde -

Follow the link - I think it is what you are referring to ??

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/fliesonly/

John

[Z]

John,

Were the fish taking the spinners? Typically here on the Yakima river the trouts dont turn on to the fall.

Great photo work!

Z

[JeffHamm]

Hi John,


Great photos! As for a suggested dressing, what about:

hook: sized to suit
Thread : bright orange, or yellow
Tail : white fibres
Body: blue grey dubbing (mole, or red fox underfur)
Rib : tying thread (like the water cricket rib)
Wings: starling quill slips
Hackle: dun

- Jeff

[JohnScott]

Z -

Fished the same stretch of the Henry's Fork three times this week, with strong midge hatches, modest bwo hatches, and the baetis spinner fall, and have only seen a handfull of fish up. Talked to a couple other guys who have been on the same water and got the same story.

I'm wondering if the fishies are so well fed with the subsurface cafeteria line that they aren't bothering with the little stuff on top.

Another friend fished upriver several miles late last week and did see a lot of fish up on the bwo hatch.

Hadn't run into your question if trouts around here will turn onto a baetis spinner fall, but I know the Henry's Fork fishies do like rusty spinners, during the PMD spinner fall. And during the mother's day caddis hatch, I fish a Harrop's Henry's Fork Caddis quite successfully, partly, I think, because it represents a spent caddis as well as an emerger and cripple.

John

[Donald Nicolson]

I decided to look up 'spent spinners' on my web-site,
and found quite a lot of unfinished business.
Never-the-less here is what I did find, it might be useful -

B-W.O. 2 pages
http://www.dtnicolson.dial.pipex.com/page201.html

March Brown
http://www.dtnicolson.dial.pipex.com/page217.html

Iron Blue
http://www.dtnicolson.dial.pipex.com/page228.html

The Olives are missing, work in hand.
These are all based on UK flies, but some usefull dressing tips
like, wrapping bodies in strips of thin plastic sheet for transluscence,

[eaustin]

Thanks, these pictures are terrific. I'll be out on the Ranch in Sept., and I'll have some of these imitated in some crude fashion by then.
Eric

[J Castwell]

Three of us fished the RR ranch back in '70. Walked in, carried our waders, crossed over the barbed wire fence, left our shoes there and put on our waders. Came back from fishing, found that some cows ate Oly's shoes. Bummed him out for the whole rest of the day.

[Flyrodde]

Flyrodde -

Follow the link - I think it is what you are referring to ??

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/fliesonly/

John

Thanks, thats what I was looking for.