Western Green Drake (Olive Wulff)
Drunella grandis produces one of the most celebrated hatches on Western tailwaters and freestone streams in June and July. The Olive Wulff offers excellent buoyancy and visibility in riffled water. Drifted through seams and pocket water, it draws explosive rises from heavy browns and rainbows. The hatch typically runs midday on overcast days.
- Type
- dry fly (Mayfly)
- Hook sizes
- #10–12
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best seasons
- spring, summer
Materials
- hook: Dry fly hook #10–12
- thread: Olive 6/0
- tail: Brown or elk hair
- body: Olive dubbing or quill
- wing: White calf tail, upright and divided
- hackle: Brown and grizzly mixed
Tying steps
- Mount hook and start olive thread; tie in a short stiff elk hair or brown hair tail.
- Dub a robust olive body from bend to the 2/3 mark using olive Antron or dubbing.
- Stack a bunch of white calf tail hair and tie in upright as divided wings at the 2/3 mark.
- Separate wings with figure-eight wraps; stand each wing with a post wrap at its base.
- Tie in a brown and a grizzly hackle behind the wings.
- Wind hackles 4–5 turns through and in front of the wing base.
- Tie off, trim, build a small head, and whip finish.
- Apply head cement and treat with silicone floatant before fishing.