Blue Wing Olive Emerger

Matches the hatch. Often more effective than the BWO dry.

Printed on the 2 of clubs

During a Blue Wing Olive hatch, the duns on the surface are the visible part of a much larger event happening just beneath it. Baetis nymphs swim up, hang in the film and struggle out of their shucks, and the ones that fail drift for a long way in plain view. Trout that appear to be rising to duns are frequently taking emergers an inch below them.

This is the single most common reason anglers get refused during a BWO hatch. The drift is fine, the size is right, the fly is a good imitation of a dun — and the fish are simply eating something else. Switching to an emerger usually resolves it immediately.

The tell is in the rise form. A clean nose and a visible mouth means duns; a humped back, a dorsal fin, or a bulge with no nose showing means the fish is feeding just under the surface and never breaking it.

What does a Blue Wing Olive Emerger imitate?

Baetis mayflies emerging in and just under the film.

How do you fish a Blue Wing Olive Emerger?

Fish it in the film on a greased leader, or a few inches down as a trailer behind a visible dry. Drag-free drift on fine tippet.

When should you fish a Blue Wing Olive Emerger?

Spring and autumn baetis hatches, and through winter on tailwaters. Best on cold, gray, drizzling days.

What are the quick tips for fishing it?

• Watch the rise form: a bulge means emergers, a nose means duns.
• Trail it behind the dun so you can fish both stages on one cast.
• Size #20 solves more refusals than any change of pattern.

How is a Blue Wing Olive Emerger tied?

• Hook: curved emerger hook, #18-#22
• Shuck: gray Z-lon
• Body: olive dubbing, sparse
• Wing: gray CDC or poly
• Thorax: dark olive dubbing

Dressings vary by tier and region. Treat this as the common recipe, not the only one.