This is a special one, folks! Created by Anglers All Warehouse Manager Ben Baxter, the Bearded Baetis is a deadly pheasant tail variation that everyone should add to their nymph boxes. Baxter's Bearded Baetis was recently picked up and is now distributed by Umpqua Feather Merchants. We sat down with Ben to talk about the new pattern - here's what he had to say:
"When you look at a baetis nymph, plenty of them are thin and rather small. But this isn't always the case. There are also lots of thicker, larger mayfly nymphs out there too. The general idea behind the Bearded Baetis was to create something that could better imitate those bigger bugs.
With this fly I was really looking to get a lot of weight paired with a little more of an aggressive profile (taper) to the fly. I went with a natural color approach initially and then added the colored resin. I also wanted to get some movement in the fly with the legs (or the beard) with the ostrich herl. I twist the herl and wire together before wrapping the legs, for added durability as well.
I initially tied the fly on a standard nymph hook for a small, heavy dropper fly under a foam beetle or hopper pattern. After jig hooks started to become more popular, along with the Euro nymphing scene, I decided to put the pattern to a jig hook. I have used it under an indicator for nymphing deep runs. It can be used as a point fly in a larger size or a dropper fly in a smaller size on a standard Euro nymphing rig.
I have used this fly in Colorado as well as surrounding states and found it to be very effective during baetis hatches. I have also used it during the winter in the smaller sizes and done quite well with it in that application."
- Ben Baxter
In this video, Anglers All resident tying expert and Umpqua Signature Tyer Ben Baxter takes us through the process of tying his Bearded Baetis from start to finish.
MATERIALS LIST
HOOK: Umpqua XC400BL (#16 - #18)
BEAD: Slotted Tungsten Bead (2.4mm - 2.8mm | Matte Black)
THREAD: Danville 6/0 (Purple or Olive)
WEIGHT: Lead-Free Wire (.015)
TAIL: Barred Teal Flank (Purple or Olive)
BODY: Pheasant Tail (Purple)
RIB: Ultra Wire (XS | Gunmetal Blue)
LEGS: Ostrich Herl (Black)
FLASHBACK: Holo Tinsel (Medium | Black)
WING CASING: Solarez UV Color Resin (Violet)
FINISH: Solarez Bone Dry
If you would rather buy a few you can find them HERE.
Contact Us With Questions
If you have questions about fly tying or need help getting started, please let us know! If you’re in the Denver area or along the Front Range, stop by and visit us at the fly shop in Littleton. Otherwise, give us a call at 303-794-1104.
