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 Blue Wing Olive Tying Instructions |
Materials:
(to Order Material, click the link)
Actual Blue Wing Olive 
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Notes: The Catskill drys are a traditional pattern from the Catskill Region of Upper New York and
were variations of earlier British Chalkstream patterns, particularly those of Frederic Halford. They represent mayflies with a hackle fiber tail,
thin bodies, upright wings and hackle collars. The hackles were much stiffer than their British
counterparts due to the more turbulent water of the Catskills. Our Wulff patterns became even more
heavily hackled with thicker bodies for the larger Western streams. Early American fly tiers, such as Theodore Gordon, began this pattern in the late 1800's with his Quill Gordon. The pattern style was continued by Rueben Cross, who developed the catskill hackling technique of wrapping the hackle on both sides of the wing and was followed by Walt Dette and Harry Darbee in the 1920's. Catskill Drys are very effective in
the smaller creeks and streams of the Sierras. Probably the most famous Catskill Dry is the Adams which
tends to be considered an attractor dry but also is a good choice for gray drakes and small gray duns.
Important Catskill Drys for the Sierras are the Blue Wing Olive (BWO and Green Drakes), Light Cahill
(Sulfurs and Pale Morning Duns) named after Dan Cahill, a railroad brakeman and an accomplished fly tier in 1880, whose pattern was modified by Theodore Gordon, Red Quill (March Browns and Mahogany Duns) created by Art Flick in 1933, and Quill Gordon. Quill
Gordons actually do not reside within the Sierras (they are an Appalachian Mayfly). However, the pattern makes a great
attractor mayfly pattern on Sierra streams. | ||
Variations: | |
Light Cahill |
Materials:
(to Order Material, click the link)
Actual Pale Morning Dun  |
Red Quill  |
Materials: (to Order Material, click the link)
Actual Western March Brown 
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Quill Gordon |
Materials: (to Order Material, click the link)
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