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WickedWIRE Green Drake/BWO North Country Spider: A Fly Tying and Fishing Adventure
January 9, 2025 Brent Auger

WickedWIRE Green Drake/BWO North Country Spider: A Fly Tying and Fishing Adventure

If you’re a fan of tying and fishing North Country Spider patterns, the WickedWIRE Green Drake/BWO North Country Spider is a game-changer. This unique variation elevates the traditional soft hackle fly by incorporating a wire body. Not only does this addition add durability, but it also gives the fly more weight, helping you to explore feeding zones deeper in the water column. Whether you’re fishing during a Green Drake hatch or want to try it as a dropper below a weighted nymph, this versatile pattern delivers results.

Let’s dive into the benefits of this pattern, and why a soft hackle Green Drake is so effective, and providing a detailed Green Drake hatch chart to help you match the hatch wherever you’re fishing.

Why the Wire Body?

One of the primary benefits of the wire body is its added weight. Traditional thread-bodied North Country Spiders are known for their delicate presentation, but they often ride high in the water column and fail to reach deeper fish feeding. By swapping the thread, the fly sinks just enough to drift naturally through those harder-to-reach feeding zones without the need for weight.

This makes the Green Drake Wire Body Greenwell’s Spider ideal for:

  • Fished trailing behind a dry fly to capture fish a little deeper in the feeding zone without sinking your fly.
  • Fishing below a weighted nymph as a dropper to target fish in the mid-column.
  • Swinging through runs where trout are rising just below the surface.
  • Exploring transitional feeding zones where fish move between deeper holding areas and shallow feeding lanes.

Green Drake Wire Body Greenwells North Country Spider Tying Tutorial:

Green Drake Wire Body Greenwells North Country Spider Materials List:

  • Hook: Moonlit Premium TOGATTA ML102 sz10-18
  • Thread: Semperfli Classic Waxed 8/0 Pale Olive
  • Body: Semperfli Fly Tying Wire 0.2mm Bright Damsel Green
  • Thorax: Moonlit Fly Fishing Pine Squirrel Dubbing Pale Olive
  • Hackle: Moonlit Fly Fishing India Hen Neck Badger Dyed Olive

Buy the full kit in click HERE>>>

Why WickedWIRE  Soft Hackle?

The Green Drake hatch is one of the most exciting times to be on the water. These large mayflies (genus Ephemera or Drunella, depending on your region) are a significant food source for trout during their emergence. A soft hackle Green Drake imitation, like this pattern, can mimic:

  1. Emerging Nymphs: Trout key in on vulnerable nymphs rising to the surface. The soft hackle pulses in the water, creating lifelike movement that imitates a struggling or drifting insect.
  2. Spent Adults: Green Drake spinners that fall back to the water after mating can look similar to soft hackles drifting naturally.
  3. Transition Stages: Between nymph and adult, the soft hackle excels as an all-purpose pattern that can suggest multiple stages of the insect’s life cycle.

Fishing a soft hackle during a Green Drake hatch means you can target trout feeding opportunistically rather than focusing exclusively on rising fish.

Green Drake Hatch Chart

Below is a hatch chart detailing the Green Drake’s life cycle stages, sizes, and optimal fishing conditions across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Region

Life Stage

Fly Size

Hatch Timing

Best Time of Day

Optimal Weather

Water Conditions

Water Temp.

Western U.S.

Nymph

#8–12

May–July

Late Afternoon

Cloudy, Warm

Clear, Medium-Flow Rivers

50–60°F (10–15°C)

Emerger

#10–12

Evening

Adult Dun

#10–12

Early Morning

Eastern U.S.

Nymph

#10–14

Late May–June

Midday

Overcast, Humid

Cool, Freestone Streams

55–65°F (13–18°C)

Emerger

#12–14

Evening

Adult Dun

#10–12

Early Morning

Canada

Nymph

#8–12

June–July

Late Afternoon

Cloudy, Breezy

Clear, Cold Streams

50–60°F (10–15°C)

Emerger

#10–12

Evening

Adult Dun

#10–12

Early Morning

Europe

Nymph

#8–12

May–June

Late Afternoon

Sunny, Warm

Slow, Alkaline Rivers

55–65°F (13–18°C)

Emerger

#10–12

Evening

Adult Dun

#10–12

Morning–Midday

Here are two separate regional hatch charts for your blog — one for Blue Wing Olives (Baetis) and one for Flavs (Drunella flavilinea / Small Green Drakes) — designed in the same structured format as your Green Drake chart so they match perfectly in style.

🪶 Regional Hatch Chart: Blue Wing Olives (Baetis)

Region Life Stage Fly Size Hatch Timing Best Time of Day Optimal Weather Water Conditions Water Temp.
Western U.S. Nymph #16–20 March–May & September–October Late Morning–Afternoon Overcast, Mild Clear to Slightly Stained, Medium Flow Rivers 45–55°F (7–13°C)
Emerger #16–18 Same as Above Midday Cloudy or Broken Sunlight Moderate Currents, Smooth Runs 50–55°F (10–13°C)
Adult Dun #16–20 Spring & Fall Mid-Afternoon Cloudy, Humid Smooth Edges of Riffles 50–55°F (10–13°C)
Eastern U.S. Nymph #18–22 March–May & September Late Morning Cloudy, Cool Freestone & Tailwaters 45–55°F (7–13°C)
Emerger #18–20 Early Spring Early Afternoon Light Rain, Overcast Moderate Flow, Gentle Eddies 50–55°F (10–13°C)
Adult Dun #18–22 April–May Afternoon–Evening Cloudy, Calm Pools & Slow Currents 50–55°F (10–13°C)
Canada Nymph #16–20 April–May & September Midday Cloudy, Cool Cold, Clear Streams 45–55°F (7–13°C)
Emerger #16–20 Spring & Early Fall Afternoon Light Rain, Overcast Moderate Flow, Riffle Transitions 50–55°F (10–13°C)
Adult Dun #16–20 May Late Afternoon Cloudy with Light Breeze Smooth Currents 50–55°F (10–13°C)
Europe Nymph #16–20 March–May & September Late Morning Mild, Partly Cloudy Alkaline Streams & Chalk Rivers 48–56°F (9–13°C)
Emerger #16–18 Spring–Early Fall Midday Cloudy, Light Wind Moderate to Slow Currents 50–55°F (10–13°C)
Adult Dun #18–20 April–May Afternoon Overcast, Light Rain Slow, Smooth Glides

50–55°F (10–13°C)

Regional Hatch Chart: Flavs (Drunella flavilinea / Small Green Drakes)

Region Life Stage Fly Size Hatch Timing Best Time of Day Optimal Weather Water Conditions Water Temp.
Western U.S. Nymph #12–14 June–August Midday–Afternoon Cloudy, Warm Clear, Medium to Fast Currents 52–62°F (11–17°C)
Emerger #12–14 Late June–August Afternoon Cloudy with Sun Breaks Riffle Transitions, Smooth Runs 55–60°F (13–16°C)
Adult Dun #10–14 June–July Late Afternoon–Evening Overcast or Light Rain Medium Rivers, Moderate Flows 55–60°F (13–16°C)
Eastern U.S. Nymph #12–14 June–July Midday Humid, Cloudy Freestone Streams 55–65°F (13–18°C)
Emerger #12–14 Mid–Late June Evening Overcast, Calm Medium Flow, Clear Water 58–62°F (14–17°C)
Adult Dun #12–14 June Late Afternoon Cloudy, Warm Moderate Currents, Smooth Ledges 55–60°F (13–16°C)
Canada Nymph #10–14 June–August Afternoon Cloudy, Light Wind Clear, Fast Streams 50–60°F (10–15°C)
Emerger #12–14 July Late Afternoon Partly Cloudy, Warm Moderate Flow, Riffle Edges 55–60°F (13–16°C)
Adult Dun #12–14 July Evening Calm, Cloudy Smooth Runs & River Shoulders 55–60°F (13–16°C)
Europe Nymph #12–14 May–July Midday Warm, Sunny or Scattered Clouds Moderate Flow, Alkaline Streams 55–65°F (13–18°C)
Emerger #12–14 June Afternoon Cloudy, Breezy Smooth Current Transitions 55–60°F (13–16°C)
Adult Dun #12–14 June Evening Mild, Cloudy Chalk Streams & Slow Riffles 55–60°F (13–16°C)

Fishing Tips and Techniques

  1. Fish it as a Dropper: Tie the Green Drake Wire Body Greenwell’s Spider below a weighted nymph to fish multiple feeding zones.
  2. Swing It: Cast across and downstream, letting the fly swing naturally. The soft hackle will pulse and move like a struggling insect.
  3. Dead Drift: Use it as a single fly for a natural dead drift through riffles and seams where fish are actively feeding.
  4. During Hatches: Fish it during the height of the hatch when trout are selectively feeding on Green Drakes in all stages.

Tying Materials for the Green Drake Wire Body Greenwell’s Spider

Hook: Moonlit Premium TOGATTA ML102 sz8-14

Thread: Semperfli Classic Waxed 8/0 Pale Olive

Body: Semperfli Fly Tying Wire 0.2mm Bright Damsel Green

Thorax: Moonlit Fly Fishing Pine Squirrel Dubbing Pale Olive

Hackle: Moonlit Fly Fishing India Hen Neck Badger Dyed Olive

An Adventure Awaits

The Green Drake Wire Body Greenwell’s Spider isn’t just another fly to add to your box—it’s a ticket to adventure. Tying this pattern connects you to the rich tradition of North Country Spiders with a modern twist, and fishing it opens the door to exploring new techniques and water columns. Whether you’re on a small freestone stream in the Rockies, a pristine river in Canada, or the chalk streams of England, this pattern brings the thrill of the hatch to life.

So, grab your tying materials, hit the water, and let the Green Drake Wire Body Greenwell’s Spider lead you to unforgettable moments on the water!

 

Filed in: Brandon Moon, BWO, fly tying, Hen Capes, India Hen Cape, Mayfly, North Country Spiders, Semperfli tying materials, soft hackle
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