Tied by Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions.
This Blue Winged Olive Quill Nymph is a sleek, high-performance pattern perfect for technical trout fishing—especially when matching BWOs during hatch periods. Tied by Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions, this version was originally introduced to him by Matt Grobert, a seasoned fly tyer and author. Grobert learned the pattern from Doug Freeman of the U.S. Youth Fly Fishing Team, who adapted it from a Hunter Hoffler original.
What sets this pattern apart is the use of natural stripped peacock quill for the abdomen and a bold, bright orange hotspot behind the bead. That contrast—slim, natural body with an eye-catching thorax—makes it incredibly effective. It mimics the slender BWO nymph while also providing just enough color to trigger reaction strikes, especially in cold or slightly off-colored water.
Whether you're Euro nymphing or running a traditional nymph rig, this BWO quill nymph gets down fast and stays in the zone, thanks to its slim profile and tungsten bead.
Materials
- Hook: Barbless dry-fly hook, size 16.
- Bead: Tungsten bead, 2mm, silver.
- Thread: 6/0, fire orange.
- Tail: Medium Pardo Coq de Leon, sparse.
- Abdomen: Peacock quill, Golden olive, stripped.
- Collar/thorax: Squirrel dubbing, dark brown.
- Hot Spot: Tying thread.
Note: There are two distinct lines of Coq de Leon. “Pardo,” or the brown line, features feathers that are marked with fine speckling
How to Tie the Blue Winged Olive Quill Nymph
