Friday, January 6, 2012

A Christmas Present

Back on May 8, 2010, I was fishing for Shad on the American river and I mentioned that a hatch of this bug was all over the place. Remember this photo?



For Christmas, this year, my wife got me "The Complete Book of Western Hatches". With a picture printed off the new printer (came at the same time the computer came) in hand, I was determined to find out what it was.


The best match I could come up with is (and you're going to love this from Mr. Entomology Stupid):


Family: Baetidae

Genus: Baetis

Common Name: Blue-winged Olive


Mel (Ranbow Chaser) was right with the Mayfly response. Without putting it under a microscope the best I can come up with, from the pictures in the book, is a Dun.


So, scary as this might seem, maybe I can shave a little of the edges off the"Mr Entomology Stupid" guy and actually understand some of what you dedicated match the hatch guys are talking about.


Now, what a Blue Winged Olive is doing around the American River is still a mystery to me. Maybe the Steelhead eat them? They are just a Rainbow Trout, after all. Another mystery to be solved.


Mark

9 comments:

  1. Not stupid, just not as educated about Entomology! I have taken one class and still only could identify about five different hatches if I see them...It is a life long journey into amazing finds... I love the BWO's! My little blue-grey winged friends. ; )

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  2. Mark, that there looks like a bug. You better swat it before it bites you.

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  3. Well I'm not much on entomology either. I still can't figure out what you're matching with pink powerbait.

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  4. I understand you'll soon need "The Complete Book of Western Wolves"

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  5. I'm sure glad the book verified what I could tell from the photo. Good research on your part. That book is a classic,and, you will learn a lot. Blue Wing Olives hatch in the fall on the South Fork near home and the fish love them. By the way, those are Cutthroats on the South Fork in eastern Idaho.

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  6. Thanks Emily. I'll get back to the book if the cats ever leave me alone long enough to read it.

    Callan, they don't bite.

    Howard, Rainbow Power Bait not pink.

    Clif, First Gray Wolf in more than a century. Way cool.

    Mel, Any Cutts with my name on them?

    Mark

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  7. One more thing, they were hitting baetis during my trip to Montana last year. Here's the fly we used with great success:

    http://oldmanriveror.blogspot.com/2011/01/bighorn-river-special-lbf-emerger.html

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  8. Yes, thats a May. Everything eats them and one of the most common bugs we have all over the state. BTW thats a pretty good book. I respectfully disagree that a wild Steelhead is just a rainbow.

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  9. Great book indeed! Look forward to seeing you match the hatch and catch that dream trout. Tight Lines and Happy Fishing!

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