Olives by Joseph Tutino "JOE.T." Part 2

Family Baetidae

" Genus - Baetis-Species -Vagans
" Genus - Pseudocloeon
" Species - Carolina, Dubium.
" Genus - Cloen - Species - Simplex.

Or, more simply known as,

Blue Winged Olives, Tiny Blue Winged Olives or "Pseudo's".

I thought it was best to split the olives into two families, Ephemerella, part I and Baetidae, part II because they do differ in certain ways such as size (diameter of body) which is crucial when tying or selecting a pattern. The Baetidae species are very slender as opposed to the Ephemerella species which are thicker bodied. Hatching characteristics include the manner in which they ascend to the surface from the streams bottom, the ecosystem in which they live (Baetidae being much more prevalent and prolific in alkaline waters), and most important how the trout feed on them. The family Baetidae are known as fast swimmers as opposed to the family Ephemerella which are known as crawlers.

I always look forward to the Baetis Vagans in the early spring since it's the first of the mayfly's to emerge and after fishing all winter with midges, it's a pleasure to use a fly larger than size 26! I also look forward to the summer and fall emergence of the Pseudocloeon's (Psuedo's) since it poses such a great challenge.

The Baetis and the Pseudos have similar emergence traits but do differ in size and color and the time of the year in which they hatch. I find that the Baetis is not a hard mayfly to identify because of there size and color differing so much from the other mayfly's hatching at that time of the year. I find that on my home waters in the Catskills, the Baetis can be overlooked by the trout once the Blue Quills (Paraleptophlebia Adoptivia), Hendricksons (Ephemerella Subvaria), Quill Gordon's (Epeorus Pleuralis), and caddis start emerging. They too, however, can be very important to the trout and the angler on the spring creeks in PA and the fertile rivers out west. The Pseudo's are often mistaken for midges however, a quick look at the species will tell you right away that it is an olive. Even though the Pseudo's are easy to id, they can be extremely difficult to match in terms of there size and there emergence state.. The Pseudos are often responsible for being the masking hatch. I consider the Pseudos the most difficult of all mayfly's to "crack the code." Out west on the Missouri river they call the Pseudo, " The Green Curse!" The guides and outfitter's often have fit's when these green devils are emerging.

Baetidae are multi brooded which means they hatch two or even three times a year. The Vagan's are the first to hatch starting the third week of March in the spring creeks of PA, around the first week of April in, NJ and around mid April in my home waters in the Catskills. Depending on water temps and the ecosystem in which they live they can hatch again in the fall. The different species of Pseudo's start their emergence in May and emerge until November.

To keep things simple I will refer to Pseudo's as one species even though there are at least ten in North America of importance to the angler. I will include genus Cloen in this reference as well. They are very similar in size and color and their hatching characteristics are very similar. There are many species of Baetis too, but I will use the species "Vagan" for this article as their characteristics are very similar.

Nymphs - The Vagan nymphs can vary in color from yellowish brown to medium olive brown and they have 3 tails with the length being 6-8 mm (size 16/18 fly hook). The Pseudo's can vary in color from brown to dark olive brown and have 2 tails with the length ranging from 3-5 mm (size 20-26 fly hook). Genus Cloen have 3 Tails. Olive nymphs can be found in various stretches of the river from medium to fast riffles to slow stretches with a lot of vegetation.

A great nymphing method to use when the Pseudo's are starting to hatch is to cast a nymph pattern (Flashback Pheasant Tail with a bead head, size 20/22) upstream and across from you (reach cast) allowing the pattern to drift right under the meniscus (Surface). As the pattern gets directly across from you, mend your line upstream so the pattern can drift downstream from you; still beneath the film with and with no drag. A strike indicator on the line (not the leader) right above the leader to line connection is often needed for this technique especially on larger rivers. This pattern and technique has been deadly for me on rivers such as the Delaware and the Missouri river in Montana.

On my most recent trip to Montana this past July, I was fishing with my brother and my good friend Josh who is a guide on the Missouri river. It was a cloudy but perfect evening to fish. That night there were at least 1,000 fish rising in a pool about a quarter mile long by roughly 100 yards wide. There were thousands of caddis beginning to oviposit and thousands of Pale Morning Duns (PMD's) and spinners painting waters surface. Instead of doing the obvious and tying on a caddis or PMD, we did what we knew we had to do and tied on our "Secret Weapons"… a size 20 Pheasant tail bead head with a flashback as the wing case. We immediately started to hook up with one fish after another but I was curious about the flashback so I asked Josh to tie on a standard Pheasant Tail with no flashback and we all continued fishing. For every fish Josh hooked, my brother and I hooked four. We switched off and took turns using the standard Pheasant Tail pattern to make sure it was not just the technique, but the pattern as well. It went the same way for all of us! The flashback was the trigger point. But why?… because the naturals expel gases when ascending to the surface which creates tiny air bubbles on the insect. The flashback with its shine and the way light refracts off it imitated the gases on the natural; which I believe caused the fish to eat the naturals and our patterns in a selective manner.

Selective feeding is a term often used for fish that will feed on one species of an insect of a certain size, color, and state of emergence during a hatch. This is not because fish are smart! Fish are not smart at all; actually they do not have the capability to reason. They feed on recognizable food which is safe and normal to them. This is an instinctive survival mechanism.

For the Vagan's species I use the traditional nymphing methods such as casting a weighted nymph across stream from me with weight about 8-10 inches above the pattern. I allow the pattern to sink to the bottom by mending one time upstream. Once the pattern is on the stream bottom, I allow the pattern to swing to the surface often producing positive results with very hard strikes. This is a very old wet fly technique. 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 upward, try twitching the pattern. Or instead of letting the pattern swing, raise the rod up slowly as the pattern drifts in front of you.

Subimago / adults. The Vagan species are 6-8 mm long (size16/18 fly hook) with a body color of Medium olive to Olive brown and medium to dark gray wings. The Pseudo species are from the 3-5 mm in length (size 20-28 fly hook) with a body color of dark olive and in some cases light olive both having medium gray wings. The Vagan species start there emergence typically between 10.00 am and 3.00p.m when the water temps reach from mid to high forties. Pseudo's generally hatch in the evenings on sunny days during the summer. On rainy, misty, overcast summer days, look for them to hatch sporadically from late morning through the day. Olives are typically known as the rainy day hatch. During the fall however when the water temps drop back into the mid fifties and stay there during the day, look for the Pseudo's between 1:00 - 4.00p.m even on bright sunny days.

Being observant to the rise form can tell you at what stage the fish are taking the naturals. Sipping rings usually mean trout are eating spinners, but in the case with Pseudo's and wild trout, the fish could be taking the nymph emerging in the film or the dun stuck in the film. The larger fish eat more efficiently to save energy (survival trait). Over time, trout start to recognize that the Pseudo's are not flying off so quickly which causes them to feed in a more subtle and efficient manner. Also keep an eye out for typical rise forms where you see bubbles and rings after the rise. This often occurs in faster currents. Backs and tails breaking the surface is usually a good indication that trout are eating the nymphs in or under the film, or they're eating the nymph shedding its shuck and transforming into the dun in or under the film. This is called, "Bulging", and is a very vulnerable time for insects. I have observed this type of feeding the majority of the time on fertile rivers with prolific Pseudo hatches. Rest assured If trout are keyed in on the nymphs in or right under the film, you can cast and present your dry fly pattern until your arm falls off with no hookups!

I use about 95% of my time for dry fly fishing, especially for large wild selective trout. The down and across cast also known as a "slack reach cast", is mostly used for this type of fishing. The first thing you want a trout to see is your fly, not your leader and/or line. This casting technique will get you the best drag-free drift possible. 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 are stripping your line in with the drift. For those of you that do cast across stream or up and across stream try adding the reach cast, or the down and across technique, you might find it works better for you in certain situations, especially with the tough fish! I learned to cast from AL Caucci through his advanced schools. Having been fly-fishing for many years I had considered myself well versed overall fly-fishing. After the first day with Al, I realized I had much to learn from him!

When casting to the subtle or sip rise, I always start with a Comparadun with gray or white Z-Lon for the wings. Size can be CRITICAL with the Pseudo's on the water. I try sizes 22-26. If that's not the code I switch over to the cdc emerger pattern sizes 22-26 which penetrates the film and shows the fish a different emergence state. I use a cdc emerger pattern on a scud hood. The scud hook enables the patterns body and trailing shuck to sit under the film. I really like the cdc because of the way it sits on the surface film and "collapses" like a naturals wings does as it is penetrating the surface film as a dun .The pattern suggests a very vulnerable stage for the insect. When the fish are exposing there backs and tails and wanting nothing to do with any of the surface patterns, I tie on a pheasant tail pattern nymph about 12-18 inches behind a cdc pattern which will enable the nymph to ride below the surface approximately 4-6 inches. Try this pattern with and without beads. Presentation and light tippets are critical with these tiny flies. For the emerger's and especially the nymph patterns, I always use fluorocarbon tippet by Rio. It takes me all of 10 minutes to try the duns and emerger's before going with the pheasant tail patterns, knowing how effective it can be. In most cases like I've mentioned, I go right with the pheasant tail pattern. If your not comfortable fishing a small nymph in the film than use it in tandem with a cdc emerger pattern.

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 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 trout. The spent Pseudo spinners can be important in the later part of the summer in the evenings.

Spent spinners - After mating and egg laying, the insect falls onto the streams surface with there wings spread out on the water, lying motionless to die. Most times you will have sipping type rises associated with this activity. Suggested pattern to use is the spent spinner in proper size and color.

Semi spent spinners - When the Imago's are laying their eggs over the stream, they sometimes land on the surface because of wind or after they have finished their "business", they fall to the surface to die. They sometimes get that last bit of life into their wings which causes a real commotion on the surface. With this activity on the surface, you will typically see splashy or smashing rises. A Comparadun with body color to match the fallen spinner or a rust color body works well for this.

Please keep in mind that when I speak of patterns and techniques that work well for me on one river, this does not necessarily mean that they will have the same affect on another river. For example, I knock'em dead using Trico patterns on the Missouri however, they do not work for me on the Delaware. All rivers are different. The Ken Lockwood Gorge in, NJ, is not the same as the Delaware just as the Delaware is not the same as the Missouri! Try all variations of sizes, patterns, and techniques until FISH ON!

- Good luck and tight lines, JOE.T.


VERY IMPORTANT: TIE ALL OF THESE PATTERNS VERY THIN AND SLENDER.

Recommended patterns

Nymphs - Sizes (16-20). Baetis species (20/22) for Pseudos species, Pheasant tails with and without beads. Use 3 strands of flashback for wing case.

Emerger's - Cdc emerger - Sizes (16/18) Baetis. Sizes (20-28) for Pseudo's using Scud hooks and the Caucci/Nastasi dubbing, medium olive for Baetis, dark olive for Pseudo's. Brown Z-lon for the shuck, 3-4 premium cdc feathers for sizes 18/22. 2-3 feathers for sizes 24-28 in dun color. Strip feather from stem, bunch and roll up in fingers like a small cigarette and tie in right behind the eye of hook like a spent z-lon spinner then pull the feathers straight up. Then tie in like a parachute pattern trim feathers to about length of hook to bend. Use the best quality cdc you can find. I like the ones from Shane Stallcup.

Duns - Std dry fly hooks, (16/18) for Baetis and sizes (20-28) for the Pseudo's

Comparadun - tails microfibetts, body Caucci/Nastasi dubbing same color as emerger pattern. Baetis I use dark deer hair for the wings. For the Pseudo's, I use white and dun colored z-lon for the wings as It's much more practical for the smaller patterns and much easier to tie with.

Spinners - same sizes as duns.

Spent spinners
" Rusty spinners (18-28)
" Compara-spinner - Use microfibetts for the tails, Caucci / Nastasi, dark olive dubbing for the body on all species. For the wings, use dun hackle tied in full then trimmed top and bottom or white Z-Lon.

Olives, Part 2. Written by: Joe Tutino

Edited and Formatted by: Dennis Cabarle

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