Dawsons Olive variable

Ah, the Dawsons Olive! You’ve picked a great one to talk about. It’s a real classic, isn’t it? When you’re out on the water targeting rainbow trout, this fly pattern is one of those that just feels right to tie on. It’s a variant of the well-known Dawson’s Olive, but with some subtle tweaks that make it particularly effective.

The beauty of the Dawsons Olive variant is its versatility. It’s not just a one-trick pony. You can fish it in so many different ways. I’ve had success using it on a floating line with a long leader, letting it drift naturally with the current. But it’s also brilliant on a sinking line, where you can strip it back with a short, jerky retrieve, mimicking a small baitfish darting through the water. The rainbows just can’t seem to resist it.

What makes this fly so special? Well, for me, it’s the combination of the olive body and the flashy head. The olive color is a fantastic imitation of a lot of the natural food sources that trout feed on—things like small fry and leeches. And that flashy head? It just adds that extra bit of attraction, a little glint that catches the light and really grabs the trout’s attention, especially in murkier water or on a cloudy day.

It’s one of those flies that you always want to have in your fly box, ready to go. You know how it is—you’re at a new water, and you’re not sure what the trout are feeding on. The Dawsons Olive variant is a great search pattern. You can cast it out, work it through a few different retrieves, and often, you’ll get a solid hit. It’s a confidence fly, and when you have confidence in your fly, you fish better.

So, next time you’re heading out for some rainbow trout, and you’re wondering what to tie on, give the Dawsons Olive variant a try. You might just find it becomes your new go-to pattern!