BWO's make me happy happy happy!

My favorite hatch is starting to kick off the season. The fishing has been great so far this season and I think it will only get better. We have had some crazy weather this week too. From sunny and mid 60's to below freezing and snowing and rain. In the mornings I have been fishing a shallow nymph rig that has been very productive as well as streamers. My nymph rig consists of baetis nymphs trailed by a cream or gray midge and no deeper than 5 feet from indicator to weight. The fish are still eating pink egg patterns as well. My streamer of choice has been an olive sculpin with a little flash in the body. I have been using the nymph rig in the swifter water and the seams of the upper A section. I fish the streaner as close to the shorline as I can and strip it back slowly with varied stripping motions. I try to be down 3-3.5 miles from the dam by lunch time so we can get right into the BWO hatch after lunch.

I have been seeing the BWO's around 1 or 1:30 in the afternoon. The film critic and hackle stacker baetis are my go to patterns right now for the hatch. If the weather allows us (wind mostly) I fish the dry fly all the way to little hole. I have been chasing the fish feeding on BWO and trying to stay well away from other boats and anglers. If the fish are not on the surface I will fish a larger BWO dry fly trailed by a beadhead baetis nymph 12-20 inches below. This seems to work great for me.

The crowds have started to move in to little hole but there is still plenty of water to fish. If your not floating and are willing to put in a mile or mile and a half hike up or down from little hole, then you can get away from people and find some great water to fish. I am sure this BWO hatch will last a week or so into the month of May. If you love fishing dry flies to large trout now is the time to get out on the Green and give it your best. Thank you for taking time to read this I hope all your fishing adventures are enjoyable and safe. Tight lines everyone!