The pattern notebook · dry
Blue Wing Olive
How do you tie a Blue Wing Olive?
Blue Wing Olive is a dry fly pattern for Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout, trout, panfish. Find its 7 materials and 12 tying steps below.
- Difficulty
- 2 of 5
- Target species
- Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout, trout, panfish
- Pattern designer
- Traditional
Added to catalog · Updated
At the vise
Materials
- Dry Fly Hook, TMC 100, sizes 16-22
- Thread (8/0), Olive
- Tail: Medium Dun Hackle Fibers
- Body: Olive Superfine Dubbing
- Wing: Dark Dun Hen Hackle Tips or CDC Feathers
- Hackle: Medium Dun Dry Fly Hackle
- Head Cement
Have some of these already? The app matches recipes against your inventory and helps you build a shopping list for the gaps.
Tying instructions
Secure the hook in the vise and start olive thread one eye-width behind the hook eye.
Wrap the thread rearward to the bend of the hook, building a smooth thread base.
Select 8-12 medium dun hackle fibers and measure them to one hook-shank length for the tail.
Tie in the tail fibers at the bend with 3 tight wraps. Trim the excess butt ends.
Select two matched dark dun hen hackle tips for wings. Measure them to one hook-shank length.
Tie in the wings at the 2/3 point on the shank with the tips facing forward. Secure with tight wraps.
Stand the wings upright by building a small thread dam in front. Separate them with figure-eight wraps.
Apply a thin noodle of olive Superfine dubbing to the thread.
Wrap the dubbed thread forward in touching turns to form a tapered body, stopping just behind the wings.
Select a properly sized medium dun hackle feather. Strip the base fibers and tie in behind the wings.
Wrap the hackle 2-3 turns behind the wings and 2-3 turns in front. Tie off and trim the excess.
Build a small, neat thread head. Whip finish and apply head cement.