# BWO hatching soon?



## Guns and Flies (Nov 7, 2007)

What general temperature does it have to be outside for the BWO to beging to hatch? It is suppose to be close to 50 degrees this Friday and was hoping to catch the beggining of the BWO's. I know that it is the temp of the water and not outside temp that determines but was just curious of general temperatures. If the BWO are out I'll fish the Ogden, if not I'll head to the Weber. Thanks for any thoughts.


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## Guns and Flies (Nov 7, 2007)

There are many species blue-winged olive mayflies. Hatches begin as early as late September and continue until April, with the best activity in February and early March. Those fly fishermen that only pick up their rod in the late spring and summer months really miss some fine fishing. The scientific name is genus Baetis (pronounce beet-us)and Diphetor but the are more commonly known as BWOs, blue wing or tiny olives. Hatches normally start just after lunch. I have had the best hatches on days when it is drizzling. Search out back-eddies on the river. This is where I normally find blue-winged olive circle endlessly around and around. I think they like the air currents and this is where you will find the trout ready to suck them down. This fly also works well in slow run stretches of water. Use your eyes and hunt the swarms. The Pheasant Tail Nymph and Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear nymphs are ideal imitations for the blue-winged olive's early stages. Drift them near the bottom any day between September to April that is if your part of the world is not covered in ice.

http://www.laughingrivers.com/rick-baetis.html


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

Still a couple weeks out. They typically start to hatch around mid March or so. But it does depend on the weather, temp and what water you are fishing. Spring is almost here, it won't be long.

Edit: I will be adding a few BWO nypmph patterns into the archive soon. Pheasant tails and hare's ear work ok for them, there are better imitations out there to be had.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

When we have a consistant 2 weeks of 50 degree weather. Don't buy into the notion that the best fishing is on overcast days. Those days may have the best hatches, but clear blue days can be good. Less bugs on the water so the fish that are looking, take an artificial mighty fine. Sip, swirl, tip up, fishy on!


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## bmj (Sep 22, 2007)

I have seen them as early as mid February on the Provo, Weber and the Green. So it can happen at any time.


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

If a gold ribbed hares ear makes a good BWO nymph, then i'm John Madden.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

flyguy7 said:


> If a gold ribbed hares ear makes a good BWO nymph, then i'm John Madden.


Exactly... all though, if olive dubbing is used, then yeah, it would do better.


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## Guns and Flies (Nov 7, 2007)

I just did some quick research and posted what I found, sounds like some of it is inaccuarte. Thanks everyone for the help. I expect that I'll head up on the Weber this Friday and wait a few weeks to hit the Ogden when the BWO are abundant. I am going to remember to bring my flies from the swap this time. Happy Fishing! --\O


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

I thought BWO nymphs were darker before they hatch. I'm thinking a Pheasant Tail nymph in the right size would be the ticket, what think ye?


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

From what I have seen, they are more olive than they are brown. They aren't as dark as you would think. It depends on the species though.

@ Guns and Flies 
It's not that it's inacurate, it's just that it's general information. You can use patterns that imitate things in general and they will work ok, but if you can use patterns that are more specific to what the fish are keying in on, you will catch more fish.

It talks about the early stages of the BWO for using the patterns it mentioned. During a hatch, if you use a regular Hare's Ear or Pheasant tail, chances are you won't catch too any fish. Not saying you won't, because those flies do imitate most things in general and will still produce.

The thing that you have to realize about a BWO is that is a blanket term for an olive mayfly. There are 1000's of species of the BWO. One pattern will work better for one type of BWO vs another. General Patterns are easy to use, but won't work as well as one that is more specific to what you are fishing.

Matching the hatch will be more productive. I think the hardest thing about fly fishing is understanding insects and their life cycles and learning to recognize what is on the water and knowing what to put on the end of your fly line. The good news about utah, is there are basically two types mayflies to worry about. The Blue Winged Olive in the spring and the Pale Morning Dun in the summer, then the Blue winged Olive again in the fall. There are more mayflies out there, but those two are the staple mayflies and are found on the majority of the rivers in utah.

One note about the rain, mayflies will hatch rain or shine. If it's drizzling outside, I grab my fly rod and head out because typically the hatch will last for hours and will be more abundant vs it being hot and sunny. They will still hatch, but it isn't as pronounced or as long.

Here is some basic info on mayflies that may help you out
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/feature ... /part4.php

http://www.utahonthefly.com/entomology/ ... ayfset.htm

Here is some more specific info on mayflies. I love this website.
http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/4/Insect- ... a-Mayflies

Here is some info on the blue winged olive
http://www.troutnut.com/common-name/8/B ... ged-Olives

Here is a video of a mafly hatching to give you an idea of what they look like and the process. I love to fish cripple patterns or emerger patterns because fish really seem to key in on this stage. The mayfly is most vuleranable at this stage, they are easy pickings for the fish and they will key on this stage.






As far as patterns are concerend, there are literally hundreds for the BWO. Everyone has an opinion as to what works best. Basically Olive is the key color. The nice thing about mayfly patterns are that most are universal, just change the color of the materials to match the hatch and the same patterns will work for most mayflies.

Hope this helps.

Edit: This would be a more affective BWO nymph to fish 
http://www.utahonthefly.com/flytying/fl ... nymph3.htm


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

What's nice about Utah is the rivers have so many stunted hungry browns that the fish could care less about the difference between BWOs. If it's close, you got "em. No need for all the scientific jargon, these fish are hungry and willing to eat.

According to the latest research on the Baetis tricadatus, the corresponding bisecular apparatus of hatch times and specific emergence could take place as the lunar pull of tidal pressure is....

You gonna talk, or are you gonna fish?


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## Guns and Flies (Nov 7, 2007)

FISH!!!!!!!

unless I am at work and then all I can do it talk about fishing, and learn about stuff from knowledge dudes like you guys 8) 8) -~|-


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## cheech (Sep 25, 2007)

HighNDry said:


> What's nice about Utah is the rivers have so many stunted hungry browns that the fish could care less about the difference between BWOs. If it's close, you got "em. No need for all the scientific jargon, these fish are hungry and willing to eat.
> 
> According to the latest research on the Baetis tricadatus, the corresponding bisecular apparatus of hatch times and specific emergence could take place as the lunar pull of tidal pressure is....
> 
> You gonna talk, or are you gonna fish?


I think you are right on line. I think instead of figuring out the scientific BS, you would go a long way to figure out what the stage the hatch is in instead. Learn how to fish: Nymphs, subsurface emergers, surface emergers, adults, cripples, and spinners.

My fave hands down is the cripple. Fly pattern = Fripple.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

I am certainly not suggesting that anyone learn all that Scientific Jargon BS. Cheech said it better than me. Understand the stages and you will be good to go. The more you understand things though, the more fish you will catch. To each their own.


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## cheech (Sep 25, 2007)

RnF said:


> I am certainly not suggesting that anyone learn all that Scientific Jargon BS. Cheech said it better than me. Understand the stages and you will be good to go. The more you understand things though, the more fish you will catch. To each their own.


You have a point though with the scientific stuff. Maybe it's not learning the names etc, but I think it's good to know that you have to really look at these bugs to see what shade of grey or olive they are, and what size they are. I have noticed that during the first really heavy hatches of Baetis, the fish don't really care what you throw. Later (say, in late May) when they are slowing down a bit, and the fish have seen it all, it's really good to know some key differences.

That said... baetis are sure fun to fish.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

cheech said:


> That said... baetis are sure fun to fish.


Amen to that. What's a Fripple? I am not familiar with that pattern.


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## cheech (Sep 25, 2007)

RnF said:


> cheech said:
> 
> 
> > That said... baetis are sure fun to fish.
> ...


fish it, love it, live it...

http://flyfishfood.blogspot.com/2007/06/fripple.html

Curtis Fry came up with this bad boy. The logic is simple. Fish are lazier than Shaq, and so they like to not have to work hard to eat food. Crippled mayflies are obviously slower than mayflies with normal capabilities (reference Shaq on the Suns now...) The Fripple has natural looking jacked up wings, thus making it look more like Shaq than a normal mayfly. It plain slays fish.

Another analogy... suppose the Phoenix Suns were dropped off in Africa somewhere. Lions figure out where they are. One thing leads to another, and the Suns are being chased by a pack of lionnesses. Are they going to chase down the fast pasty white guy, the fast brazilian dude, or the slow as crap fat guy that will feed the nation for a week? Easy. Nash and Barbosa live. Shaq turns into not-so-petite filet mignon.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

LOL nice analogy. Couldn't be any more of the truth. I will have to give that bug a try. It looks like it would be deadly. I have seen the mayflies look as you describe and how that fly looks. That's a great creation Curtis has come up with. I like the name too, it's catchy.

Thanks for sharing the pattern. If you want, I can put that in the fly pattern archive. If you don't mind that is.


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## cheech (Sep 25, 2007)

For sure. throw it up there...


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