Snow, Rain, And BWOs

[Danny]

So I am planning on floating the green this weekend, problem is, the forcast calls for rain and snow. I know overcast is good, but what will rain and snow do to the hatch? Should I just stay local and do the weber/provo thing, or is it still worth my while to make the pilgrimage?

Any educated guesses on wind? Snow and rain don't bother me as much as wind. Rowing the boat in wind just sucks.

Danny

[9ftRod]

I have had my best days fishing when it is absolutely nasty outside. Two weeks ago on the Lower Provo myself and 2 fishing buddies slayed them while there were massive flakes falling. And that was using dry flies.

Personally I love to fish in bad weather cause it keeps all the women trapped in mens bodies at home doing laundry!

JR

[cheech]

Danny, You will have the best weekend of your life. BWO's are snow/rain lovers. I fished the Lower Friday during the rain and absolutely hammered them. On Saturday I fished while it was a little bit brighter with no rain, and only caught a handful of fish.

[MWSpearo]

I heard some people (Jason) did very well on Saturday. Wasn't he even standing right next to you. Maybe it was the ffman not the conditions that made the difference.

[Fishtech]

Danny,

Rainy/Snowy weather is what I pray for when I hit the Green during BWO season. In fact, I just got back from the Green a couple of days ago and our best day was the day that it poured rain and sleet. We did quite well and had a lot of fun.

I recommend that you bring some BWO spinners with you. I've never seen as many spinners on the water as I did during the four days we were there. Did better with spent wing patterns then we did with dun patterns.

Best of luck,

Fishtech
>-,^)))*>

[Utah DaveII]

Wind sucks but rain and snow are the bomb when it comes to BWO fishing. By far my best fishing is in bad weather

[solowookie]

rain & hale last weekend, and the hatch was incredible! weekend before sunny & 70 degree's, hatch stunk.

[Trout4x]

Like everyone else has stated you can have some of your best days in the nasty weather. Go prepared for the worse and you will enjoy it. Just don't ask for wind.

So I would plan on RAIN OR SHINE!

[Curtis Fry]

We were up there last weekend with the semi-nasty weather and the hatch was pretty decent-- I've seen better (but fishing was good). Nothing to write home about, but it brought fish up pretty consistently. No doubt the bad weather can make the hatch better, though. If you do encounter wind, just focus on the emerger stages. Last Friday during times when the wind picked up, I simply fished 1 to 3 feet down from a dry and picked up fish no problem.

Fishtech, where were you guys fishing? Maybe we crossed paths and didn't know it. We fished about 2 miles down from the dam around Steamboat and rollercoaster as well as Anticipation earlier in the day.

[Fishtech]

Was up there this last Mon thru Thurs. Walked a mile down into the B on Monday. Took a nice brown in a real deep hole with a size 2 streamer. Was showin off a little for my older brother who hasn't fished since he was 8. 41 now! Tuesday we hung around little hole. Walked up maybe a 1/2 mile. Wednesday we went up about a mile, Floated a bit that day with a guy I met that had a new drift boat. Never really got much further then that though. I'm to out of shape these days. I hope to get back in a few weeks with my kick-boat (if Freestonetrout will hurry and buy one!) :-)


I agree that the hatch wasn't all it has been in years past. But the Spinner flight was far more then is common for that river. Size 20 rusty spinner was my best fly. I noticed the fish seemed to shy away from parachute patterns. Think they're wize-in-up?

Fishtech
>-,^)))*>

[TennesseePilgrm]

After reading the information on this post yesterday I decided I would try my hand at fishing in the rain. I fished the LP near the mouth of the canyon where there was a steady rain. When I first arrived, approx. 6:00 p.m. there was very little action on top and as time progressed the action became nonexistent. So is it hit or miss in the rain with BWO's or was it to late in the afternoon? On a side note; I only fished for about an hour and a half because both of my thumbs stopped functioning. I have all the nessecary rain gear but my hands usually are left exposed to the elements. What are the best type of gloves for cold weather fishing.

[ROOSTER]

If I were you, I would try and hit it a little earlier. Last week, I hit it at about 11:30, and did very well as the hatch came to a full tilt at about 12:30 or so. I returned to the same spot at about 5:30 the same day, and had very little success on top. I think that you may have hit it a little late. I hope your thumbs warm up.

OUT

[Barbless]

You were probably a bit late. I fished the Lower in the rain and snow yesterday and the fishing was hot. When I left at 5:00 there were still a few splashy risers, but by then they had become pretty picky. The surface action was great from 1 - 4, especially whenever the rain kicked up.

[solowookie]

on saturday the hatch at little hole was still going strong at 5:00... actually it seemed late getting started, and definitely didn't seem in swing around 11:30 when I got there.

I'd think if you were on the river by 1:30 with a dry fly your chances would be pretty good.

[Greg M]

What does it matter what the weather is doing, your going fishing!!!!!!!!!

Good luck!

[LBM]

Gary LaFontaine claimed that BWOs didn’t lie on the water like most mayflies to lay their eggs, but dove to the bottom and laid their eggs. The following is from the Greycliff website:

~ The Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis sp.) mayfly lays its eggs underwater. This is the first pattern devised and tested to mimic that behavior -- this is a sinking fly with a post of clear Anton and an olive body that matches the underwater female perfectly.

The amazing thing about this activity is that not only the females but also the males go underwater during the egg laying. Imagine that -- this is like a double spinner fall. With any other mayfly only the females land on the surface, but here both females and males are available to the trout. What a bonanza!

http://www.greycliff.com/Flies/WetFlies/body_divingbluewing.html

With a google search, I found this pattern

http://www.westfly.com/patterns/wet/divingbaetis.shtml

What pattern do you guys use for BWO spinners?

[Fishtech]

Some do, some don't crawl under to lay their eggs. The spinners of the B. tricaudatus are rarely seen and their fate is somewhat unclear. We know that at least one strategy the females use for egglaying is to crawl under the water on rocks, logs, etc. The spinners have clear wings, two tails, and body colors ranging from brown to opaque gray. I usually tie spent-winged patterns (zelon wing) in brown, blue dun, and olive colors. I have never encountered the male's submerging with the females on the Green, and with the low abundance of the males found on or near the river, I doubt they do. Though I have seen this happen with other species of baetis. Even though I don't often see the males on or near the water, I still prefer using the male - rusty spinner, as an imitation. I have always had success with this fly on the Greens baetis hatch even when the spinners aren't present. With the slender body and low profile on the water, the fish are probably taking it as an emerging dun more often then not.

Best Regards,

Fishtech
>-,^)))*>

[parr]

I have a picture that I should post. It was taken at the end of the hatch on the green during a complete blizzard. We took cover for about 30 minutes..enough time to grab some Doritos and a beer, and then I saw a HUGE fish rising...by the time I got to the river there were fish rising all over the place.

I loved it...it sent all of the Mary's to the car and left me and my friend all alone to catch the Green's trophy trout. What else could you ask for during BWO season!!