The Baetis

Ah, yes, the Baetis. Otherwise known as the Blue-Winged Olive, it is a bug about which anglers need to know. That’s because BWOs hatch periodically in the spring, summer and fall (cf. the Orvis Eastern Hatch Chart).

When nymphing, I usually fish a size 18 or 20. One trick is to make them slim. The video below from Fly Fish Food does just that. It also features some important strike triggers: a touch of flash, segmentation and gills/legs.

It’s a great video. I think I’ll be tying these by the dozen to re-load the fly boxes.


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7 thoughts on “The Baetis

  1. Damn, just as soon as I thin out the herd, another pattern to tie! Oh well that's the way it goes each winter! (At least it won't take up much space in the box)

  2. Looks like you went without a bead on your fly. How will you end up fishing this fly? Do it as a dropper off of your anchor fly on your euro nymph rig?

    1. Yes, as a dropper. I also like the option to fish the fly solo up top, if I put on some floatant. I also like my dropper flies unweighted or lightly weighted, if possible, so that they can dangle and move.

  3. Thanks for the response. I was recently inspired by your blog and another blog (which I believe you suggested), https://troutbitten.com/ to try out a euro rig setup. I'd love to learn more about your rig and what/how you fish your flies.

    Such as do you fish your rig with a tag with weighted flies, or do you find yourself fishing a dropper off your anchor fly more. Do you find that you are able to utilize the inline indicator when you are fishing a dropper? I would think you wouldn't be able to feel takes on a drop as actively as a take on a tag/anchor fly.

    I've only tried this method twice and both times were at the Swift. I only tied on unweighted droppers to my anchor fly and found myself sight fishing for takes on the dropper as I wasn't able to "see" the takes on the sighter for the dropper fly.

    Selfishly I would love a blog post dedicated to some of the specifics of your rig (or a PM). I know it can get really technical pretty quickly but think it'd be invaluable information to have.

    Sorry for the extremely long post!
    -Griffin

    1. Hi again, Griffin. Here is the recent post on my tightline leader: http://www.blogflyfishma.com/2016/12/my-revised-tightline-nymphing-leader.html.

      If you can, book a time with guide Zach St. Amand, who fishes the Farmington and is a tightlining expert. It is really worth. As I wrote last year, I worked with him once, wanting to see his spots. I had been tightlining already for a few years and was catching plenty of fish. He modified my approach and casting strategy, and I then started to catch even more, and bigger, fish.

      Can make a personal intro if you want to send me your email. My address is on the blog on the right hand column.

    2. Hi Griffin, thanks for the note.

      1. I've written about my tightline set-up a few times, most recently a few weeks ago. So, check the archives if you have a moment.

      2. I do fish a tandem rig, with an anchor fly on the bottom and a dropper fly about 20" above it via a tag formed by a blood knot or triple surgeon's knot.

      3. I suggest you consider buying George Daniel's "Dynamic Nymphing" book. It's really amazing.

      4. I don't tightline at the Swift. It rarely works since the fish are usually too far away and the water is too slow at most spots. I rarely go there now, but, when I do, I tend to fish dries or sight nymph with a 7.75' 000-wt. When fishing dries, I use a home-made leader that terminates in 7x tippet (or, 8x at times). When sight nymphing, I put on a standard 6x leader.

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