Anderson's Pocket Water Baetis

There are a few anglers out there who have devoted their life to fishing. Mickey Anderson is one of those guys. Mickey has made fishing his life-long passion and career. As co-owner of Fish Tech Outfitters in Salt Lake City, Mickey constantly talks fish, thinks fish and often outsmarts our finned friends on waters throughout the west. Mickey is a fly tying guru and has taught hundreds if not thousands of anglers the art of fly tying. With that in mind it would be wise to pick Mickey's brain about the latest flies and techniques he is utilizing.

I had a chance to chat with Mickey earlier today about his latest nymph pattern, the Pocket Water Baetis. For the fly tyers out there, below is a recipe and a picture of the fly. Build a few and get them wet. If you don't tie Mickey would be happy to show you the bins full of baetis at his store. (Fish Tech 801-272-8808) Umpqua ties his pattern and it is available at fly shops selling Umpqua flies throughout the country.

This pattern is designed to sink rapidly and sports a slender body and a tungsten bead to aid its descent.  Mickey ties the Pocket Water Baetis in sizes #18 - 22.

Hook:  Tiemco 100 #18-22

Thread:  Black UTC 70

Bead:  Black tungsten 2mm - 1.5mm

Tail:  Olive dyed mallard flank

Overbody:  Black goose biot

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Abdomen:  Callibaetis superfine dubbing

Ribbing:  X-fine copper wire

Wingcase:  Black goose biot

Thorax:  Ice dub UV black

Legs:  X-fine black round rubber legs

Mickey also has success with an olive version.  Basically keep the same materials but replace the black biot with an olive biot, replace the UV black ice dub with UV olive ice dub and finish it off with olive rubber legs rather than black.