What's the smallest backswimmer you tie

[pikergolf]

As the title asks what's the smallest backswimmer you tie. The lake I am at they are currently feeding on 18 or 20, am tying 16s now. I can't see going any smaller as the hooks get too weak. Thoughts?

[kinwahkly]

Size 16 is the smallest I will tie, anything smaller I just buy them.eye sight not good enough,

[BeeGuy]

The #16 I buy are the same size as the ones moving around right now.

Catching lots of fish on them.

Earlier in the season they are small, but they are largest in the fall/ice-up/ice off.

On average larger than boatmen as well.

[ducimus]

i use a big shiny yellow backswimmer. size 12 with crystal dubbing and the fish love it... thank you to the guy at wholesale sports for introducing me to this pattern.

[pikergolf]

I have been catching well on a 14, but having observed a few big girls around without a sniff tied some 16, going out this afternoon to give it a go, still big but might be close enough.

[Lornce]

I tie mostly #16.

[fishman]

Backswimmers mate in the fall...the juvinelles move first usually around 3rd week of august there bodies are green they don't mate just get active...then by 1st week of Sept adults are moving and by first frost they go nuts and by last week of Sept the boatmen are active....the small ones u r seeing are boatmen they are usually 14 or 16....backswimmers are usually 12 to 14 but can be as big as 10

[Bhflyfisher]

Well the ones that are on the bow go to size 20. I usually fish a 18 with moderate success. A prince nymph does the job usually. On lakes, its really trial and error for me. Size 14 is where i start usually.

[Doc]

Don't get confused between backswimmers and boatman, they are not the same.

Northern Backswimmers & Water Boatman

[Kingfisher]

The insects your actually trying to imitate are actually called water boatman.


Picture of a water boatman

Backswimmers are actually a lot larger than the boatman.

Picture of a back swimmer.

Although the boatman and backswimmer are often mistaken for the same thing. The backswimmer is a lot thinner, longer and the fins are much wider spread than the boatman. Fish will eat both. So either pattern can do well in the fall.

The boatman are prolific in the fall. They will fly down and hit the water making it sometimes look like it is raining. They swim around near the bottom. Coming up ocassionally for air. Making them an easy target for the fish to key in on them.

For your presentation use a strip, strip, pause presentation to imitate their swimming motion. Boatman flies come in boat floating patterns and sinking patterns. The sinking pattern can be used with a dry line and a florocarbon leader. The floating pattern (Made with foam) can be use with a full sink, or a sink tip line. Which will take the pattern down. The same strip, strip, pause presentation can be used as the pause will bring the boatman up toward the surface. The stripping will take the pattern down towards the bottom.

The smallest one's I use are size 16. But my pattern I most often use are size 14. Try different colorations. In the spring I find a lighter one will be working and in the fall I find a darker one will work best.

Just a quick edit. Last weekend while floating the boat I noticed thousands of boatman along the edges of the Bow. They were about size 14 and dark as can be. So I tied on one under my hopper as a dropper. I was able to land 4 rainbows on the boatman pattern. So give them a try.

Tight lines,
Rob

[Bhflyfisher]

Originally Posted by Kingfisher

The insects your actually trying to imitate are actually called water boatman.


Picture of a water boatman

Backswimmers are actually a lot larger than the boatman.

Picture of a back swimmer.

Although the boatman and backswimmer are often mistaken for the same thing. The backswimmer is a lot thinner, longer and the fins are much wider spread than the boatman. Fish will eat both. So either pattern can do well in the fall.

The boatman are prolific in the fall. They will fly down and hit the water making it sometimes look like it is raining. They swim around near the bottom. Coming up ocassionally for air. Making them an easy target for the fish to key in on them.

For your presentation use a strip, strip, pause presentation to imitate their swimming motion. Boatman flies come in boat floating patterns and sinking patterns. The sinking pattern can be used with a dry line and a florocarbon leader. The floating pattern (Made with foam) can be use with a full sink, or a sink tip line. Which will take the pattern down. The same strip, strip, pause presentation can be used as the pause will bring the boatman up toward the surface. The stripping will take the pattern down towards the bottom.

The smallest one's I use are size 16. But my pattern I most often use are size 14. Try different colorations. In the spring I find a lighter one will be working and in the fall I find a darker one will work best.

Just a quick edit. Last weekend while floating the boat I noticed thousands of boatman along the edges of the Bow. They were about size 14 and dark as can be. So I tied on one under my hopper as a dropper. I was able to land 4 rainbows on the boatman pattern. So give them a try.

Tight lines,
Rob

Totally off topic. Any eats on the hopper?

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Kingfisher

The insects your actually trying to imitate are actually called water boatman.


Picture of a water boatman

Backswimmers are actually a lot larger than the boatman.

Picture of a back swimmer.

Although the boatman and backswimmer are often mistaken for the same thing. The backswimmer is a lot thinner, longer and the fins are much wider spread than the boatman. Fish will eat both. So either pattern can do well in the fall.

The boatman are prolific in the fall. They will fly down and hit the water making it sometimes look like it is raining. They swim around near the bottom. Coming up ocassionally for air. Making them an easy target for the fish to key in on them.

For your presentation use a strip, strip, pause presentation to imitate their swimming motion. Boatman flies come in boat floating patterns and sinking patterns. The sinking pattern can be used with a dry line and a florocarbon leader. The floating pattern (Made with foam) can be use with a full sink, or a sink tip line. Which will take the pattern down. The same strip, strip, pause presentation can be used as the pause will bring the boatman up toward the surface. The stripping will take the pattern down towards the bottom.

The smallest one's I use are size 16. But my pattern I most often use are size 14. Try different colorations. In the spring I find a lighter one will be working and in the fall I find a darker one will work best.

Just a quick edit. Last weekend while floating the boat I noticed thousands of boatman along the edges of the Bow. They were about size 14 and dark as can be. So I tied on one under my hopper as a dropper. I was able to land 4 rainbows on the boatman pattern. So give them a try.

Tight lines,
Rob

I'm almost positive they are backswimmers as they are long and thin, the bugs that are crashing the surface seem to be bigger. The ones I want to imitate I find in the fishes mouths and they are tiny, some fish have had up to six or seven in there throats, not sure if they're spitting them up or what. I'll try and get a pic. I saw a lot today that couldn't get through the surface film, they were about a 10 or 12 and had very light backs.

[Lornce]

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

Totally off topic. Any eats on the hopper?

Doing well on the hopper now.