Fly Pattern: Blue Wing Olive (BWO)

                   Tyer's Name: Bill Kindler               Email:(see roster)
                   Date: Feb 1, 2010                       Phone:(see roster)

    Fly Originator and History:  The basic recipe for this fly was adapted from the book 
    AK's Fly Box by A.K. Best (Available in the OPFF Library). Best likes to use 
    quill bodies for his flies. Quill floats like a cork, gives the body of the fly a 
    natural-segmented look, as well as making a body that is similar to the natural mayfly.

                                       How the Fly is Fished
    Suggested line and leader: Floating line, light leader and tippet  
    Depth range: On the surface
    Suggested retrieve: Slow retrieve with an occasional twitch to simulate a mayfly 
    struggling in the surface tension .
    Comments: Locally, this is an effective dry fly from March through November.

                                       Fly Material
    Hook make /size / length: TMC 100 or 101, size 14-20 (Bill used a #16 for 
    his demonstration). 
    Thread: size / color / type:  8/0 Olive Uni Thread.
    Weighted? y/n: No.
    Tail material / size / color: Blue dun hackle fibers.
    Body material / color:  Quill from a rooster neck hackle, dyed olive. Select a 
    quill that is about 7 to 8-inches in length, and about the same diameter as the hook.
    Ribbing size / color:  --
    Thorax size / color: --. 
    Wing size / color:  Two hen neck feathers, dun.
    Hackle size / color:  Dry fly badger, dun.
    Head size / color:  Very small, olive
    Other:  --				

                                       Tying Steps
    1. Before tying: Soak quills in water for about a day. Then keep them in a wet 
    paper towel until ready to tie-in.

    2. Tie in a thread base from the eye to the bend (just above the barb). At the 
    bend, form a small thread "bump".

    3. Tail.  Select 10 or 12 tail fibers. Tie them in on top of the shank, and 
    bind them against the thread bump so that they are swept upwards.

    4. Body. Lay a quill parallel to the shank, with the butt extending beyond the 
    eye. Then tie in the quill, wrapping the thread to 1/3 of the way behind the eye. 
    Trim off the excess material.

    5. Wrap the quill forward to the 1/3 point, making sure each wrap is right next 
    to the previous one (leave no gaps).  

    6. Tie off the quill and trim any excess material.

                                       Figure 1. Wing detail


    7. Wings. The wings should be as wide as the hook gap, and as long as the entire 
    hook. Notice in Figure 1 that the wings are mounted with the curved sides facing each other.

    8. Select two hen neck feathers, and trim them to the appropriate dimensions, 
    leaving plenty of stem intact to make mounting easier.

    9. With the wings straddling the shank of the hook, tie them in front of the 
    quill body. Bend the wings slightly forward, then wrap forward and aft of the 
    wings in a "Figure 8". Trim the excess stems.

    10. Hackle. Mount the hackle in front of the wing, give it 1 wrap (pushing the 
    wings upright), then go behind the wing and give it 3 or 4 wraps, then back to 
    the front for 2 or 3 more wraps. Tie off the hackle.

    11. Using a half hitch tool, push back any stray hackle fibers, and apply a 
    half hitch.

    12. Form a small thread head, whip finish and glue.

                    Rick Shadforth 03/09/10