Northern California’s Pit River is majestic and wild. On this
boulder-laden stretch of richly productive trout water, a fly angler
called Dave Sloan was inspired to create the perfect mayfly nymph.
Itching to replicate the notch he observed in the wing case of a local Pit River
Baetis, Sloan rushed home to his vise and got to work.
Sloan settled on the common turkey feather, and as he says
“colored it black, and epoxied it.”
Sloan’s Bead Head Mighty May
Baetis fly pattern is an extremely effective choice when imitating mature
Baetis
or blue winged olive nymphs. It’s got a black bead that’ll give your
offering a sweetly seductive underwater profile – not as garish as a
shiny gold bead. From the Pit River to your home water, Dave Sloan’s
Mighty May
Baetis nymph’s notched, epoxied wing case still steals the show.
Specifications:
- This fly pattern was developed by Dave Sloan while guiding clients on the Pit River in Northern California
- The Mighty May nymph series is defined by the dark, notched, and epoxy coated wing case
- Baetis or blue winged olive imitation in the mature nymph life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- Fish on a dead drift in all types of water; riffles and faster water are the most productive types
- Best results early in the morning or later in the evening
- Minimize surface commotion by using synthetic yarn or a large dry fly as a strike indicator
- Strikes are subtle, so timely hook sets are important
- SIZE 18
When and Where to Fish Sloan’s Bead Head Mighty May Baetis or Blue Winged Olive
This
mayfly nymph can be fished as either an impressionistic fly pattern
when searching for trout or as a realistic imitation when matching the
hatch. When searching, fish this fly in medium to fast water early in
the morning or later in the evening – this is the time when Baetis and blue winged olives are most active. When fishing the Baetis
or blue winged olive hatch, these bugs will float, drift, and swim into
from the river bottom to the water’s surface, so try this pattern out
just prior to or during the hatch of adult duns.
The black bead head
on this fly will give you a bit more profile and weight. Fish it in
deeper riffles, runs, and pools or in situations when water quality is
poor.
How to Fish Sloan’s Bead Head Mighty May Baetis or Blue Winged Olive
Fish
this fly on a dead drift through all the major water types and always
be careful to match your nymphing depth to the depth of the water
column. When fishing this fly pattern in shallow water of good to
excellent clarity, be very careful not to disturb the holding trout. Be
sure to select either a large dry fly or light synthetic yarn for an
indicator; creating too much commotion on the water’s surface can spook
wary trout. Takes on Baetis and blue winged olives tend to be extremely subtle, so do not hesitate to set the hook at the slightest tug on your leader.
Baetis
Baetis
are olive colored mayflies that occur in trout water throughout North
America. The wide distribution of this common swimming nymph makes it
an important year-round staple in a trout’s diet. During the larval
stage, Baetis thrive in the well-oxygenated water of medium to fast riffles and longer runs. Baetis
follows the life stages of a typical mayfly life cycle and hatches
year-round with more intense emergences occurring warmer months. Baetis is quite similar in appearance to the blue winged olive (Drunella),
a genus of mayfly common to the trout waters of northeastern North
America. This similarity often causes confusion, but in angling
practice, these bugs are fantastic substitutes for one another and
their imitations are often considered interchangeable for fishing
purposes.
Baetis Nymph Life Stage
During
its nymph life stage, these strong swimmers are commonly found in many
different types of water. The most prolific populations tend to occur
in well-oxygenated water; look for them in riffles and longer runs.
Because their swimming ability is well-developed, these nymphs will
commonly expose themselves by making adventurous trips away from safety
just before emergence and subsequent hatching. Baetis
nymphs are available to trout throughout the year and are most active
in the mornings and evenings. These slender-bodied nymphs are brown to
olive in color and just prior to and upon emergence, their wing pads
will darken significantly and take on a wet sheen, signifying an
impending hatch.
Blue Winged Olive
The blue winged olive (Drunella)
is a genus of mayfly commonly active in northeastern North America’s
trout waters from early spring (May) through the late summer months
(August and early September). At a time when caddis hatches are
prolific and the mayflies of spring and summer are gone, the blue
winged olive offers fly anglers a fantastic late-season chance at
fishing a classic mayfly hatch. These insects typically hatch in warmer
waters during mid day. The blue winged olive is a crawling nymph that
ranges from dark brown to olive in color and is often likened with Baeits, a popular staple of the western trout’s diet.
Blue Winged Olive Nymph Life Stage
During its nymph life stage, the blue winged olive (Drunella),
a stout crawling nymph, can be found in medium to fast riffles and
pockets in the northeastern trout water of North America. These nymphs
are most vulnerable just prior to emergence as they are caught in the
moving water as they float to the surface to hatch. blue winged olive
nymphs are dark brown to olive in color and are most active during the
afternoon hours. The best hatches generally occur in warmer waters from
early spring (May) to the late summer months (August and September).
About the Tyer: Dave Sloan
If
you find yourself near rivers with names like the Pit, Yuba, Truckee,
or the Upper Sac, you probably won’t be too far away from Mr. Dave
Sloan, one of Northern California’s better fly fishing resources. In
addition to running a legendary guiding service, Dave works and lives
in California’s capitol city of Sacramento where he runs a wide variety
of educational programs for fly fishers and fly tyers of all stripes.
Dave is passionate about the sport of fly fishing and has built a solid
reputation in the American West. Dave has licensed several of his
innovative fly designs to Umpqua Feather Merchants for wider production
and distribution, and his Mighty May nymph series has taken many trout
waters by storm! Dave continues to innovate and push the limits of both
fly fishing technique and fly tying, so keep an eye out for Sloan’s
next wicked fly!
Leland on Umpqua
In 1972 a man
named Dennis Black and his fly tying skills found themselves in high
demand. Mr. Black, then a professional production fly tyer, was famous
in the industry for his unsurpassed skill and speed with whipping up
tremendously beautiful and precisely constructed flies. It wasn’t long
until this young fly tying superstar realized that he ought to take his
consistent approach to quality to the next level. Shortly after this
realization, a small army of fly tyers had banded together to support
Mr. Black’s vision. With the likes of Dave Whitlock, Jack Dennis, and
Andy Puyans, Mr. Black was officially in business.
Dennis
Black’s new company Umpqua Feather Merchants quickly extended its reach
and fly production capabilities with expansion into India, Sri Lanka,
and Thailand, where the world’s first and full blown “fly tying
factories” were built. Since those early days, only the highest
standard of excellence has marked Umpqua and this commitment to quality
and efficiency continues to spur the company forward. Dennis Black’s
innovative vision for “fly production” has truly revolutionized how the
fly industry operates and has ultimately made the majority of
production flies better. From the first “royalty system” for rewarding
the most creative professional fly tyers to streamlining production
systems and offering a range of other products, Umpqua Feather
Merchants just seems to “do it all.”
Today, Umpqua Feather
Merchants is without a doubt the world’s best and most prolific
supplier of hand tied fly fishing flies as well as fly tying hooks and
materials, and they recently got better! Umpqua’s brand new, state of
the art headquarters in Louisville, Colorado marks another paradigm
shift in the way fly tying business is done. From its vast warehouse to
its specially designed inventory management and tracking system, Umpqua
is poised to continue its energetic trajectory and lead the way for the
next generation of flies and fly tyers.
Umpqua on Umpqua
"As
you may or may not know, we're the largest producer of quality
hand-tied flies in the world. We also make available through your local
fly shop a wide array of the finest fly-tying hackle and Tiemco hooks.
At
Umpqua we offer everything the angler needs to a have a first class
fishing experience. (Everything that is, but the water and the fish.)"
Umpqua on Dennis Black and the “Obvious Quest”
“The
idea first took shape in the hands of our founder, Dennis Black, back
in 1972. As a fast and facile professional fly tyer, Dennis was known
for his skill and speed at producing hundreds of dozens of flies each
year for the larger mail order houses. But he was also quick to realize
how fast the demand for excellent flies would outstrip the abilities of
cottage industry types like him.
The Obvious Quest: To create
excellent flies in sufficient supply – without sinking his standards.
In response, Dennis developed (with characteristic care) a methodical
plan: First, he enlisted the tying expertise of the likes of Dave
Whitlock, Jack Dennis, Andy Puyans and others, to help him set the
standard of excellence for Umpqua flies.
Next, Dennis
established the first of what would eventually be five separate
fly-tying “factories,” first in India, then in Sri Lanka, and finally
in Thailand. The primary focus at each of these factories was on
producing the very best fishing flies possible, constructed of the very
best materials available. From the beginning, the quantity of flies
produced was secondary to the quality and excellence of each fly
pattern. These high standards were assured by the personal involvement
of the fly designers themselves, and by the ever-increasing skill,
imagination and creativity of the Umpqua production fly tiers. Today,
you will find no flies more skillfully tied than those available from
Umpqua Feather Merchants.
Finally, Dennis created a system of
royalty payments, to reward professional tyers like Whitlock, Lefty
Kreh, Randall Kaufman, Larry Dahlberg, and Bob Popovics for uniquely
good patterns.
The Result: Today, Umpqua produces umpteen
thousand dozen flies, from micro-scopic midge imitations to the huge
patterns favored by marlin and sailfish. And the "Umpquality" – you’ll
see for yourself.”