Family Ephemerellidae 

You may already know of some of the above species as their more commonly used name, BLUE WINGED OLIVES!

Before I start with the olives, I just want to give you my thoughts on what fly fishing is to me. Regardless of how much we fish, where we fish, what we use as patterns, (nymphs, streamers, dries, Bait, and lures) how many fish we catch or don’t catch, how serious we are or not, doesn’t really matter in the whole scheme of things! We are all out there for the same reason and that’s to enjoy nature and what it has to offer us. It’s to have a little peace in our lives and help us get away from the every day routine. To me it’s a type of meditation. Even though I often fish alone, I enjoy fishing with family, friends, good guys, and hopefully one day with my son who is not old enough yet! I am writing these articles to hopefully help people. If it’s just one person that is able to apply what I’ve written, it makes me happy. I did not have help for years and learned like most of us, by trial and error. Though entomology is only one aspect of fly-fishing, learning presentation both on the surface and the subsurface, learning how to read water, and learning how trout eat insects are all woven into this category. The thing I love most about fly-fishing is you can learn forever!

The first of the Olives start hatching when the early summer weather begins. For the early riser it’s a wonderful hatch that will bring you great dry fly action in the early morning hours. The reason the majority of fly-fishermen often miss the olives is because of the early morning emergence. Most of the anglers are on stream for the late afternoon and evening hatches of Sulphers, various Drakes, Isonychias, and Cahill’s.

The Olives all have very similar hatching traits but differ in size and color. Without knowing the proper identification of the species, especially for those selective fish we have come to know all too well, is why Olive hatches can be difficult. With the proper imitation, I consider it an easier hatch to fish than most other mayfly hatches.

Years ago when my brother and I were first really learning how to fly-fish, he went to the Beaverkill. Wow the Beaverkill! I could not go with him and waited all day to hear back from him. I received a call that night that sounded like someone speaking in tongues. My brother was trying to tell me how this nice old man set him up with these fly’s called blue winged olives and explained to him about the different colors and sizes and how to present them to the trout then he spoke about how he hooked and released 15 fish in this pool called Horton’s! At that moment I realized the importance of learning the insects and matching the hatch. Since then I have been on a quest to match the hatch wherever I may be. My brother is smart. He asks, "Joe, what pattern what size?", and always manages to catch not only as many fish as I do but always the largest!

The Cornuta’s are the first to hatch usually starting the third week of May here in NJ, and lasts for about one month. They then begin their emergence in the Catskills the very end of May through about the first week of July. The Attenuata’s start about two weeks later in both regions and last about a month as well. The Lata and Deficien species start to hatch around July 4^th and continues in some streams like the branches of the Delaware and spring creeks in P.A. until the end of October.

Nymphs - Both the Cornuta and Lata nymphs are very much different than that of the typical Ephemerella species in that they both have flat bodies and powerful legs. The Cornuta has a medium olive brown body with in-curved horns and the length being 10mm (size14). The Lata has a mahogany brown body much smaller horns and measuring 6-8 mm (size 16-20). The Attenuata species is a medium olive brown measuring 6-8 mm. The most important characteristic of the Attenuata is that it splits its shuck on the stream bottom and rises to the surface as a dun.

The Olive nymphs are found in medium to fast riffles. The Cornuta’s are sometimes found in slower stretches prior to their emergence. The Cornuta’s and Lata species migrate to the slower sections of the river while the Attenuata species split their shucks on the stream bottom in the riffles and rise to the surface as a dun.

A great nymphing method for the Olives is to cast a nymph pattern (soft hackle or olive cdc nymph) with a small split shot about 8-10 inches above the pattern. Cast directly across from you then mend once upstream allowing the pattern to reach the rivers bottom. Then let it swing downstream from you. As it swings it imitates the natural insect making its ascent from the bottom to the surface. The CDC (CUL-DE-CANARD FEATHERS) is a wonderful material that naturally emits air bubbles as the naturals do during emergence. This is a deadly technique in a good set of riffles and It’s also one of the oldest techniques used by fly-fishermen. Our founding "fathers" used this technique many years ago by swinging wets sometimes 7-10 at a time! I have had many 20+ fish days swinging these types of patterns in a good set of riffles! Be creative with slight twitches as its swinging. When the swing is complete leave it out there then strip it 2-3 inches at a time with a pause in between. Another great method is to cast the nymph pattern with weight 8-10 inches above the fly up and across stream and "high stick" the nymph along the bottom. As it starts to get below you let it swing to the surface. As it swings try twitching the pattern. The naturals are very active during there ascent to the surface. I like to start at the top of the riffs and slowly work my way down. I work the riffles like a grid pattern insuring I cover all areas.

The Cornuta species, once done shedding its nymphal shuck, has a body of a very bright yellow green. Once the body hits the air it changes to a pale olive. The colors are very much different between the dun and emerger, so observing what stage the fish are eating them can be very important. When using an emerger pattern such as a cdc pattern on a scud hook or a down-wing emerger pattern where both bodies are in the film or submerged slightly under the film, you will want to tie your patterns to match the bright yellow green as opposed to the pale olive color for the dun.

Subimago - adults. The Cornuta species are 9-10 mm long (size14) with a pale to medium olive body color and medium dark gray wings. The Lata, Depressa, and Deficiens range from 4.5 to 8mm long sizes (16-22) and their bodies are a brownish olive with dark grey wings. The Attenuates and Cornutellas range in size from 6-8 mm (16-20) with a body color of light, bright, green and dark gray wings. The different Olive species start their emergence typically between 9:00 am and noon. Optimal water temps for them to emerge as adults are between 50-60 degrees. Look for them to hatch as early as 6.00am with real hot weather or sometimes in the evenings. On rainy, misty, overcast days in the summer, look for them to hatch sporadically from late morning throughout the day. Olives are typically known as the rainy day hatch. Try to determine the size and color of the natural before tying on your imitation because the fish can be real selective. For under $30.00, you can purchase an 8x magnify glass, a small strainer or small seine net that fits on your fishing net, a small ruler with (mm), and Al Caucci’s instant mayfly id guide. With these tools you can easily identify any mayfly on the stream within 5-10 minutes! I think there is a general stigma about entomology with many fly-fishermen. This method developed by, Al Caucci himself, makes it a very simple process. With the combination of identifying the natural and learning to read the rises to try and determine the stage of emergence in which the fish are eating the naturals, and of course a good presentation, you will catch many more fish! The book, "Hatches ll", is a great compliment to the id guide.

Fresh in my mind from a few days ago, I was fishing on the Willowemoc on a rainy Friday afternoon. When I made my way into the river I noticed the large Cornuta’s on the surface and rising fish everywhere. I also noticed that the fish that were rising were not eating the large duns floating over them! I observed the rise forms to be typical. I did not notice any other insect on the surface but looking closer in the air I started to notice smaller mayfly’s, airborne. I was able to catch an insect airborne with my net and identified it as an Attenuata species mayfly. Not seeing the smaller species being taken on the surface I came to the conclusion that the fish were taking the emerging duns right in the water film. This is a much more vulnerable stage for the insect. Knowing that these trout could easily eat the struggling emerging duns in the film as opposed to the duns on the surface taking to the air quickly, I tied on a size 18 cdc emerger pattern. That was the secret code! I caught and released fish for almost four hours! The best analogy I can apply to identifying the species and knowing what stage there eating them would be like the anglers that go online or look at the chalk boards to see what’s hatching on a certain river. That method only puts you in the right town. Without the street name or address, you will be driving around an awful long time trying to find your destination and may never find it!

Being observant to the rise form can tell you at what stage the fish are taking the naturals. For example, sipping rings could mean the fish might be taking spinners or cripples. Typical rise forms wher you see bubbles and rings after the rise are typical of the fish eating the duns on the surface or possibly the dun halfway emerged in or under the film. Splashy rises could be fish slashing at the duns knowing that they are getting off the water quicker at that time. Backs and tails breaking the surface usually means that fish are eating the nymphs in or under the film, or the nymph is shedding its shuck and transforming into the dun in or under the film. This stage is a very vulnerable time for insects.

The technique I use 95% of the time for dry fly fishing especially for large wild selective trout is the down and across "slack" reach cast. The first thing you want the fish to see is your fly, not your leader and line. This cast allows you to get the best possible drag-free drift. The only time I don’t use this method is when I cannot get the right drift or after dark. Casting upstream in the dark helps you to feel the take as you’re stripping your line in with the drift. For those of you who do cast across stream or up and across stream, try adding the reach cast or the down and across technique to your casts. You might find it works better for you only in certain situations or especially with the tough fish! I learned to cast from Al Caucci. Through his advanced schools and having been fly-fishing for many years, I considered myself a well versed overall fly-fisherman. After the first day with Al, I realized I had much to learn from him!

When casting to the splashy rise or the typical rise form, I go right to the Comparadun. A parachute pattern also works well for this type of rise. When that’s not working, I use the down winged emerger pattern which sits in the film with down wings and a trailing shuck which imitates the natural in the middle of transforming from a nymph to a dun as it’s getting on to the surface. To get even deeper under the surface and show the fish a different emergence state, I use a cdc emerger pattern on a scud hook. What I really like about the cdc material is the way it sits on the surface film and collapses like the natural’s wings do as they penetrate the surface film as a dun. Either pattern suggests a very vulnerable stage for the insect. When the fish are exposing their backs and tails and having nothing to do with the surface patterns, I tie on an olive nymph pattern about 12-18 inches behind a cdc pattern which will enable the nymph to ride about 4"-6" below the surface

Spinners - The Olive species like most others will lay their eggs at the most comfortable part of the day which is usually in the evenings from dusk into dark. Look for them in swarms over the riffles. In most cases, the olives are competing with many other species at that time of the year and could be less important to the fish.

Spent spinners - After mating and egg laying, the insect falls onto the streams surface with its wings spread out on the water motionless to die. Most times you will have sipping type rises associated with this activity.

Semi spent spinners - When the Imago’s are laying their eggs over the stream, they sometimes land on the surface when they have finished their "business" or simply get knocked into the water from the wind. When they have fallen to the surface to die, they sometimes get a "last wind" in their wings. This causes a real commotion on the surface. With this activity on the surface you will typically see splashy or smashing rises. A Comparadun with the body color to match the spinner or a rust color spinner pattern works well for this.

- Good luck and tight lines, JOE.T.

Nymphs – A size 14 for the Cornuta species, sizes 16-20 for Attenuata and Cornutella species, and sizes 16-22 for the Deficiens, Lata, and Depressa species.

• Pheasant tails with and without beads; soft hackles as well.
• Olives-std nymph hooks, Caucci/Nastasi, spectrumized dubbing in medium olive brown for Cornuta and Attenuata. Mahogany brown for Lata with wood duck for the legs and tails, and turkey quill for the wing case.
• Olive CDC nymphs-std nymph hooks 14-22. The same dubbing as the weighted nymph with wood duck for the legs and tail. CDC in dun color for the wing case tied in with slight loop.

Emergers - sizes same as nymph’s

• Down winged emerger (Al Caucci pattern) - std dry fly hooks, dubbing Caucci/Nastasi dubbing in greenish yellow for Cornuta’s, size 14. Apple green for Attenuata and Cornutella in sizes 16-20. Dark green for the Lata, Deficiens, and Depressa sizes 16-22; use a medium deer hair for the wings and Brown Z-lon for shuck.
• Cdc emerger - Sizes are the same as the down wing pattern. Scud hooks. Caucci/Nastasi dubbing, same body colors as the down wing emerger pattern. Brown Z-lon for the shuck, 5-7 cdc feathers for hook sizes 14-16, 3-4 feathers for sizes 18-22 in a dun color. Strip feather from the stem, bunch and roll up in fingers and tie in right behind eye of hook like a spent Z-lon spinner. Then pull the feathers straight up. Tie them in like a parachute pattern. Trim the feathers to about the length of the hook to the bend. Use the best quality cdc you can find. I like the ones from shane stallcup.

Duns - Std dry fly hooks same sizes as the emergers. Use a size 14 for the Cornuta, Sizes 16-20 for the Attenuata, and Sizes 16-22 for the Lata, Deficiens, and Depressa.

• Comparadun –I use micro-fibetts for tails and Caucci/Nastasi pale olive dubbing for the body; Cornuta - apple green, Attenuata, Cornutella - dark green, Lata, Deficiens, Depress. A medium deer hair is used for the wings for all species except, Attenuata which uses dark deer hair
• Spinners-same sizes as duns.

• Rusty spinners sizes 14-22
• Comparaspinner –The tails are microfibetts, the body is Caucci/Nastasi dubbing - dark olive for all species except, Lata which uses a charcoal color. The wings are made with dun hackle tied in full then trimmed top and bottom or white Z Lon.