Just Say Baetis

 

The Ark.  Deckers.  Elevenmile Canyon.  What do these great fisheries have in common right now?  

 

There’s a Great Blue Winged Olive hatch going on.  

 

Spring fishing could not be better!  We’ve hit the right combination of weather and temperature, flow levels, and hatch cycles.  Yesterday at one of the aforementioned hot spots, the afternoon hatch came in waves and lasted nearly 90 minutes.  Fish were popping the surface during the slightly overcast and just a bit chilly afternoon — perfect weather for the Baetis.  I would have stopped and videoed the rising action — but I was too busy trying to get set up!  I had a two-fly rig with a midge cluster pattern leading a #20 BWO.  Fish were hitting them both.  Other folks have reported that dropping a beadless Pheasant Tail or RS-2 off of the BWO is working well, fishing it in the foam.  

 

So to answer the question “what are you using?” — just say Baetis. 

 

Interested in learning more about aquatic entomology and fly selection?  Register for our class with Robert “The Bug Guy” Younghanz — Wednesday, April 9, 6:15 – 8:15 at the Shop.