Dry Flyintermediate

Great Lakes

Blue-Winged Olive (BWO)

Name: Blue-Winged Olive (BWO)
Brand: The Woolly Gentleman

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Available Sizes#16 - #22

Color Variations

Olive/DunGray/Olive

Pattern Ledger

Source Blue-Winged Olive (BWO)

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Where to source this pattern

TWG checkout is closed. These are current sourcing leads, scored by mapped tier, region, species, fly type, and named-pattern evidence. Confirm availability directly with the tier or shop.

Regional shopStrong match

Schultz Outfitters

Matched on Great Lakes, dry flies, trout. Michigan and Great Lakes shop lead for steelhead, trout, and smallmouth patterns.

Great Lakesdry fliestrout

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Broad sourceStrong match

Fly Fish Food

Matched on dry flies, trout, mayfly. Strong technical tying and trout catalog coverage, especially nymphs, dries, and stillwater flies.

dry fliestroutmayfly

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Regional shopStrong match

Dette Flies

Matched on dry flies, trout, mayfly. Catskill lineage fly shop with deep dry-fly, wet-fly, and Northeast trout relevance.

dry fliestroutmayfly

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Regional shopStrong match

AZ Fly Shop

Matched on dry flies, trout, trout. Arizona and Southwest shop lead for desert trout, bass, canal carp, and warmwater patterns.

dry fliestrout

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Regional shopStrong match

Davidson River Outfitters

Matched on dry flies, trout, trout. Southern Appalachian trout shop lead tied to the Davidson River and regional freestones.

dry fliestrout

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The Blue-Winged Olive hatch happens on the grayest, drizzliest, most miserable days of spring and fall -- precisely the days when sensible people stay home. If you are standing in a Great Lakes tributary in light rain watching size 18 mayflies drift past your waders, you are either a trout fisher or profoundly lost. The trout love these conditions. You will too, once you feel that first take.

Quick Facts

TypeDry Fly

Difficultyintermediate

SeasonsSpring, Fall

Target SpeciesBrown Trout, Rainbow Trout

Sizes#16 - #22

Best LocationsAu Sable River, MI; Pere Marquette River, MI; Brule River, WI

Where to Fish It

Au Sable River

MI · Freestone River

Pere Marquette River

MI · Freestone River

Brule River

WI · Freestone River

Map unavailable. Locations for Blue-Winged Olive (BWO): Au Sable River, MI; Pere Marquette River, MI; Brule River, WI

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Find a tier or trusted source

Great Lakes

#12 - #20

The most famous dry fly in American history, created on the banks of the Boardman River in Michigan. Grizzly and brown hackle, gray dubbed body. The attractor dry that passes for nearly any mayfly.

Standard GrayParachute (white post)

Brown Trout · Rainbow Trout · Brook Trout

SprSumFallWin

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