BWOs and sizes: How small do we really need?

[Hellgrammite 0]

Hello folks. Just like the title says; how small do you really need, and what patterns do you depend on most for emergers and dries, and spinners?

 

I have just used RS2s, standard and parachute BWOs, and poly wing spinner the few times I have fished these, but... what do you like? And how small? How big? 18s and 20s, maybe 16s for the bigger ones, are all I have ever really seen, though I am told some are smaller, which I have never seen (possibly because, you know, I didnt look close enough, idk.)

 

What sizes do you deem "must haves" for these critters, east or west?

 

Amanda

[Piker20 0]

My upwing box (I try to have a box to cover the common ones in the I family) range from 14 to 18. My mayfly box has them to 8s. Normally a 16 is a good bet for me.

[nick2011 0]

16-18 are my go too sizes, I also use those in caddis patterns, they just seem to work well.

[williamhj 0]

My go to pattern is the sparkle dun in 18 with dubbing, biot, and thread abdomens. I carry some 16s which I rarely use and also 20s which is use more frequently. For smaller I use rs2s. I also find klinkhammer style flies to be effective and I always have some upright wings and parachute styles but don't find them as effective, those usually in 16s and 18s. However I've got some size 20 klinkhammers in the mail.

[utyer 0]

There can be more than one hatch of baetis (BWO) a year. On the western rivers that I have fished the earlier hatches are larger size 18 works, and I fish my own emerger pattern. By fall, the same hatch is smaller 20 or 22 works better, but I still fish an emerger pattern. For nymphs, I just use the PT or sometimes the RS2.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I'm with Utyer 18 in the early spring but then switch to 22-24 in the fall as for nymphs I use a simple olive hares ear or a pt nymph

[Jaydub 0]

Mostly 18s and a few 20s. Besides parachutes, thorax styles work well for duns. CDC loop-wing emergers have worked well for me as have Purple Haze Cripples.

[rainbow27 0]

for rs2s i like 20s but thats me . dries i like 16 somtimes a 22 if there pickey

[snag 0]

emergers size 16 on a caddis hook upright wing and parachute size 18. size 20 I just dub he body and a few turns of hackle no wings fingers are to fat. size 18 is what I fish the most.

[phg 0]

I agree. I have tied winged size 20's, but it's not necessary. Size 18 is generally as small as I go with a full, winged BWO. Baetis, of course, are sometimes much smaller, but the smallest I ever tie is a size 22, and that is done midge style. In fact, I often use just tying thread for the body, as small Baetis are often very slender.

[troutguy 0]

On the Davidson River there is a stretch of gin clear slow moving water in front of the hatchery. The fish range from 3 to 30 inches. They see more flies than an Orvis fly order stocker. When you throw a size 16 to these fish, it looks like you tied a seagull on the end of a 2X tippet. I will frequently use 26 and 28 BWO , PMD or caddis. The combination or bamboo rod, long leader and micro fly makes people stop and watch. Sometimes this works with success. Where no one can see I fish #2 sculpin patterns and catch them.

[Steven Wiersma 0]

I tie BWO in sizes 14 thru 22. Most commonly fished are 16 or 18's. When switching, my preference is to step down a size.

[Flat Rock native 0]

Smurf Emerger size 18-16's are go to patterns in my area. Have captures smaller live ones in bug net but not frequently

[flytyer62 0]

When fishing the freestone water in the are, like Utyer said we have several hatches of olives mostly Baetis, they start out in april as a size 16 then later spring sz 18 late season they are a size 20. For the tialwaters in the area pretty much the same progression but a full size samll 18-20-22. there is also a hatch of a Procleon species that the tailwater fish will key on that is a size 22-24. for emergers I use sparkle duns, for dun patterns for 16-20 I tie regular up wing with hen tip wings for the samller stuff I use poly year in dun color for the wing. for spinners I use regular old rusty spinners with zlon wings. There are a few weekson some of the freestones were the BWO olives are the only consisten hatch it can get down right awesome as the fish get locked into them.

 

steve