Green drakes

[Odonata]

I just started tying green drake adults for the fun of it. #12 seemed like a reasonable start. I used the intheriffle videos as a guide (parachute and classic styles), and found a lot of other interesting patterns.

Curious to know what size the adults are in CA. Probably a lot of different answers depending on watershed. I suppose the only sure way to know is just to get out there and see...

Funny, before I started tying this winter I didn't really fish mayfly imitations all that much. Most of my fly fishing for trout is in the high elevations of the Sierra (ie. small creeks and lakes). This year I've been exploring more mid-elevation creeks and small rivers (because of the huge snowpack in the high country), and therefore coming across bugs I hadn't actually seen before, like tiny black stoneflies (snowflies ?) and yellow sallies. It is rare for me to fish anything that doesn't require substantial hiking to approach.

I've also been looking into the Catskill dry method, the paradrake patterns, and the "thorax" style. I suppose technically if I tie something just for fun, there is no real need to actually fish with it, but still ...

[JD]

For me anyway, this has always been a tough hatch to catch in CA each season for a host of reasons, but I like dries and nymphs to be #10-12 for the few times I get to fish the drakes. I tend to favor Quigley, Comparadun, and Catskill style patterns for adults and small Rubberlegs for the nymph. Hope you find them.