The subdued browns, golds, and grays of the highlands are accented by a fresh dusting of snow. A stoic angler stands hunched forward, applying with gloved hands a death grip to the cork handle of his rod, hoping for that arm-wrenching jolt of a trophy brown trout. It's work, but sometimes it pays off. But during autumn, at the tailouts of big riffles and at the edges of the weed-lined banks, something else goes on. One of the season's most predictable hatches is under way, ignored by the few anglers on the river.
Trout rise everywhere, even near the streamer fisherman's feet.
Olives can be found hatching, tumbling on the surface, sailing with the breezes, and whirling in eddies. Every afternoon rainbows and nonspawning browns feed on them. During October and November, when the browns are spawning, Baetis drift on the water. More than a dozen species of Baetis hatch on Western waters, but their similarity allows imitation with just a few simple patterns. The fly's large blue-gray wings are highly visible and are probably major keying factors for the trout.