Drowned Baetis
Drowned Baetis

Upper River Pattern
Hook: Daiichi 1270 size 22
Thread: Tan 3/0 Uni-Thread
Tail: Dark Dun Microfibetts
Body: Thread
Thorax: Dark Brown Dubbing
Wing: Dun / Gray Swiss Straw
Instructions:
  1. Place the hook in the vise.
  2. Secure thread and wrap back to bend making sure to leave the thread tag hanging out the back.
  3. Tie in 2 microfibetts along the top of the shank extending back to about 1 body length.
  4. Split the tail by pulling the tag end back up through the two fibetts.  The more you pull back toward the eye, the more the tail will splay.
  5. When you get the right split, tie down the tag end with one or two tight wraps.
  6. Spin the thread tight to form a rope.
  7. Wrap the thread forward forming a nice segmented body.
  8. Leave room for the head and wing.
  9. Use a dark brown permanent marker to darken just the top of the fly body.
  10. Cut two 1" strips of gray swiss straw about 1/8" wide (don't worry if it is a little wide)
  11. Take the strips and twist them between your thumb and forefinger to fold the width a little and make it narrower and more durable.
  12. Tie in the wings such that they point towards the rear and upward at a 45 degree angle (the dubbing you put on next will help prop them up.
  13. Trim the tag end on the front and trim the wings about the length of the body.
  14. Dubb a small amount of darker brown to form the thorax (make a wrap or two behind the wings to prop them up).
  15. Whip fininsh and trim thread.
Variations & Comments: This is an awesome drowned adult pattern which also passes for an emerger.  I love to fish this pattern just below the surface by sight fishing to feeding trout.  Probably best to fish with an attractor dry above it so you can see some of those subsurface takes.  At times, this fly can be very hot!!!.