Fall BWOs on the Yakima

I haven't fished the Yak's BWO hatch yet and would like to next year. I'm curious if a favorite BWO fly I use on a spring creek I occasionally fish in Oregon would work well on the Yak? It's an emerger pattern with pheasant tail body, green head and CDC for spotting and floating...CDCBeatisEmergerGreen_6119f0f6-19e7-41f6-bc2b-f1e521632341.jpg.webp
 
That looks great. Yak rainbows can become quite selective during BWO hatches especially if they have time to examine your fly closely. That by itself or as a dropper behind a parachute dry should be very successful.
Steve
 
Hi Steve-

The mayfly female subimago pictured above is not generally referred to as a BWO, but rather, as a Trico. I believe it to have the scientific name of Tricorythodes explicatus. Incidentally, that is one fantastic photo.
 
Taxon said:
Hi Steve-

The mayfly female subimago pictured above is not generally referred to as a BWO, but rather, as a Trico. I believe it to have the scientific name of Tricorythodes explicatus. Incidentally, that is one fantastic photo.
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Hi Roger,
Many thanks for your expert identification. I assumed that it was a BWO as that was the hatch that I was expecting at that time of year. I should probably have left it vague as "small mayfly"... What would be the key difference between a BWO vs. a Trico for the interested amateur?
Steve
 
Cabezon said:
Hi Roger,
Many thanks for your expert identification. I assumed that it was a BWO as that was the hatch that I was expecting at that time of year. I should probably have left it vague as "small mayfly"... What would be the key difference between a BWO vs. a Trico for the interested amateur?
Steve
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Hi Steve,

The most obvious difference (in their winged lifestages) is the number of tails. A BWO would have only 2 tails, whereas a Trico would have 3 tails.
 
@Skeena88,

If you tie, take a look at the Gamakatsu CM-BM Dry Fly Hooks. Ive been impressed with the "Big Eye" aspect of these hooks. Makes it way easier to tie on a tippet. If you don't tie, maybe you could have a custom tyer, use these hooks for your order. If needed, a friend, of mine, John Kreft, of Riverkeeper Flies, ties some beautiful bugs.

Happy Holidays.

Bob
 
Draketake said:
@Skeena88,

If you tie, take a look at the Gamakatsu CM-BM Dry Fly Hooks. Ive been impressed with the "Big Eye" aspect of these hooks. Makes it way easier to tie on a tippet. If you don't tie, maybe you could have a custom tyer, use these hooks for your order. If needed, a friend, of mine, John Kreft, of Riverkeeper Flies, ties some beautiful bugs.

Happy Holidays.

Bob
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Thanks Bob!! These look they will do nicely. I'll get myself some for Xmas give them a try!!
 
Draketake said:
@Skeena88,

If you tie, take a look at the Gamakatsu CM-BM Dry Fly Hooks. Ive been impressed with the "Big Eye" aspect of these hooks. Makes it way easier to tie on a tippet. If you don't tie, maybe you could have a custom tyer, use these hooks for your order. If needed, a friend, of mine, John Kreft, of Riverkeeper Flies, ties some beautiful bugs.

Happy Holidays.

Bob
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Hi Bob,
Do you know if these are made in #18-20? All that I can find at Gamkatsu and on-line vendors are the C12-BM in #26 and smaller. But your suggestion did prompt me to search for wide eye fly hooks from other manufacturers. Don't know why I haven't thought of that before now. Old age maybe.
 
regarding fishing BWO's, and other small flies as well..I've switched from using paste flotant or shake drying crystals to dabbing them in a liquid silicone water treatment and then air-drying them on a paper towel. Once treated, they can go a session without needing any flotant reapplications.
 
SurfnFish said:
regarding fishing BWO's, and other small flies as well..I've switched from using paste flotant or shake drying crystals to dabbing them in a liquid silicone water treatment and then air-drying them on a paper towel. Once treated, they can go a session without needing any flotant reapplications.
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That works with the CDC feathers?
 
Skeena88 said:
Hi Bob,
Do you know if these are made in #18-20? All that I can find at Gamkatsu and on-line vendors are the C12-BM in #26 and smaller. But your suggestion did prompt me to search for wide eye fly hooks from other manufacturers. Don't know why I haven't thought of that before now. Old age maybe.
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@Skeena88,

Im not sure about that hook being available, in smaller sizes. Fly Fish Food has become my go to for weird Fly Tying Tools and Materials. Give them a call/chat regarding those hook sizes. BTW, their store in Idaho Falls, is a must stop for us, whenever we travel near there. Everyone I've interacted with there, is top notch. Also their video tutorials are outstanding, IMHO.

I believe Daiichii, has a Model #1110, Big Eye Hook, in those sizes you are looking for. However, for some reason, they are hard to acquire. Im actually waiting for some #18 to arrive.

Be safe.

Bob
 
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I hate trying to tie on a tiny fly in the midst of a hatch. I tie them on to like a foot of tippet at home with good light, and wrap it up on a page in a fly box for leaders like that. Then, just a double surgeon to tie the tippet to the existing leader.
 
Draketake said:
@PhilR,

Same. Much less cussing.
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I have two of these boxes. One with nymphs and pre-strung dries. Another with lake flies, and pre-strung two- and three-chironomid rigs.
 
Draketake said:
@Skeena88,

Im not sure about that hook being available, in smaller sizes. Fly Fish Food has become my go to for weird Fly Tying Tools and Materials. Give them a call/chat regarding those hook sizes. BTW, their store in Idaho Falls, is a must stop for us, whenever we travel near there. Everyone I've interacted with there, is top notch. Also their video tutorials are outstanding, IMHO.

I believe Daiichii, has a Model #1110, Big Eye Hook, in those sizes you are looking for. However, for some reason, they are hard to acquire. Im actually waiting for some #18 to arrive.

Be safe.

Bob
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Hi Bob,
I looked at the on-line description for the Daiichi 1110 on Amazon and thought the same as you: that it has a wider eye. I took a trip to Creekside Anglers in Issaquah and took a look. The eyes are standard size. The description implies wide eyes, but that is not the case. It is just a poorly parsed description 😢.
 
@Skeena88,

Well your post prompted me to do a side by side comparison, between the Daiichi 1110 and the TMC 101, on Size #24 hooks.
It looks to me that maybe, just maybe, the Daiichi 1110 eye is wider, in this #24 size. Did you compare eye sizes with the naked eye or were you able to find some specs and/or maybe had access to a micrometer? My eyes are old so I could be way off.

Interestingly, I did notice that the TMC 101 was longer in the shank than the Daiichi. Both are marked 1X for length. So no consistency there.

The Gamakatsu CM-BM #24 hooks do have a markedly larger eye as compared to the TMC 101 and Daiichi 1110 hooks. Please let us know if you can find them in #18 and #20.

Have a good day.

Bob
 
Draketake said:
@Skeena88,

Well your post prompted me to do a side by side comparison, between the Daiichi 1110 and the TMC 101, on Size #24 hooks.
It looks to me that maybe, just maybe, the Daiichi 1110 eye is wider, in this #24 size. Did you compare eye sizes with the naked eye or were you able to find some specs and/or maybe had access to a micrometer? My eyes are old so I could be way off.

Interestingly, I did notice that the TMC 101 was longer in the shank than the Daiichi. Both are marked 1X for length. So no consistency there.

The Gamakatsu CM-BM #24 hooks do have a markedly larger eye as compared to the TMC 101 and Daiichi 1110 hooks. Please let us know if you can find them in #18 and #20.

Have a good day.

Bob
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I just looked at the #18s in the store. I didn't measure anything, but the 1110 eyes weren't noticeably larger than the other #18 brand on offer. The guy behind the counter had the same observation and didn't have any suggestions other than stronger magnifier glasses.
 
@Skeena88,

Thanks for the feedback.

My favorite magnifiers are the USA Made "Hat Eyes". Been using them for about 20 years. Unfortunately I think they are out of business, as up until last year I was able to find them in most Fly Shops. Not anymore.

Currently using the "MagniFly" product. Its decent. Takes some getting used to.

Miss my "Hat Eyes". :(

HAGD

Bob

PS Sorry for the Thread Hijack.
 
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