which color hackle for blue wing olive?

[shmish 0]

For those that tie BWO, what color hackle do you use? Patterns I've read about say to use light or med blue dun. Having sprung quite a few dollars for some genetic hackle (grizzly and medium dun) the thought of buying small packages of blue dun doesn't appeal. Oh well, I don't mind too much but thought I'd see what other people do.

[troutnabout 0]

You can use the medium dun or get some dun colored CDC it's pretty cheap.

[Ten Bears 0]

I use a medium dun for my BWO but the bottom line is use what works on the stream you're fishing. When matching a hatch the three most important fly factors that lead to success are size, presentation and color/type. In that order.

 

[flyline64 0]

I doubt even picky fish would reject an otherwise accurate bwo imitation, properly presented, because the hackle was medium dun (or even grizzly) rather than blue dun.

 

Most of tyers' obsession with color (mine included) is to please ourselves and other anglers, not the fish.

[madkasel 0]

Yeah... I'd have to put "presentation" ahead of size or color on the spring creeks 'round here.

 

I just bought some dun CDC, so will have to give that a go!

[shmish 0]

I doubt even picky fish would reject an otherwise accurate bwo imitation, properly presented, because the hackle was medium dun (or even grizzly) rather than blue dun.

 

Most of tyers' obsession with color (mine included) is to please ourselves and other anglers, not the fish.

 

That's exactly what I was wondering...

[Blackotter 0]

One of my best patterns for a bwo or pmd is a sparkle dun with bleached coastal deer hair, so the "wing" is fairly light and not close to dun colored at all. It's also very visible to me, even in small sizes instead of having something small and dark that my eyes can't pick up on the water.

 

Unless the fly is completely underwater, it's really very difficult to see the fly that is above the water when something is underwater looking up at it. The rougher the water, even less is visible.

[maddog48 0]

I'd have to agree with the presentation, too. Guys here use parachute Adams tied as small as 22's or 24's. As far as hackle .. I buy the JV hen Denny Conrad sells in all different shades of dun .. from palest almost white to dark dun.

 

 

Mikef