Dry · #10 of 129

Blue Wing Olive

Also known as: BWO, Baetis

Imitates: Adult Baetis mayfly

How to Rig It

Single dry, or with an RS2 emerger 8" below.

Slow, drag-free drift in slicks and tailouts where rising fish sip.

BWOs hatch on the worst weather days when nothing else is moving. Trout key on them as the only protein available.

BWO is the angler's name for several Baetis species — small olive-bodied mayflies that hatch through cold shoulder seasons.

On a heavy BWO day, don't change patterns — change drift. Eight inches off-line is the difference between refusal and eat.

When do Blue Wing Olives hatch?+

Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November), most heavily on overcast, cool, drizzly days.

What size BWO should I tie on?+

#20 is the safest start. Match the naturals on the water — they shrink as fall progresses.

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