SPRING BAETIS SPARKLE DUN (GREY)
This grey/olive Baetis Sparkle Dun is in my spring collection and is an imitation of the hatching Baetis. You’ll never go wrong with a sparkle dun, but try not to go heavy on the olives when tying your Baetis imitations for the spring hatch. Often the real ones are more grey than olive.
I have a series of Baetis patterns that I use from the start of June, and for about three weeks. The colors are subtler, and I use more grey than olives in my dubbing mix. The colors of the first and second generation hatch are different in my waters (mostly Hedmark, Norway). The first generation being lighter and more grey, whereas the second generation of the bug have darker olive/brown olive tones.
I guess the color combinations are a matter of taste. You mix the tones you believe in. This is one of the spring tones of my choice. It’s really an adaptation of the Adams grey, mixed with a pale olive dubbing in a 60-40 ratio with the overweight on grey.
Hook: Hends BL 454, size 14
Thread: Benecchi 12/0 Grey
Wing: Deer Hair from summer coat (Yearling if possible)
Shuck: A few strands of olive Antron (don’t overdo)
Abdomen: FlyRite #26 Adams Gray and #41 Pale Olive (60-40)
Materials are listed in order of tying.
Dry dip and dead drift.
