The Complete Fly Tying Recipe Library

The Blue-Winged Olive is one of the most important and dependable mayfly imitations in trout fishing. Rather than representing a single species, the name covers several small olive-bodied mayflies that can hatch throughout much of the year, especially during cool, cloudy, or rainy weather. The dry fly is typically fished in sizes 16 through 22 with a drag-free dead drift, although emerger and nymph versions are often more effective before and during the hatch. Because these insects can appear in large numbers and trout may become highly selective, carrying several sizes and stages of the Blue-Winged Olive is useful on almost any trout stream.