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As with all of our fly patterns, our boatman have been developed to imitate the naturals while
being strong enough to endure the hatch. We can tie boatman in any color combination &
sizes that you require. Just contact us with what you need!
Water Boatman
Water Boatman are mostly plant-eating insects but
also eat small animals such as tadpoles. They
inhabit ponds and slow moving streams, where they
swim right-way-up near the bottom. Similar to the
back swimmer they swim with two long legs that
look like oars.
Behavior
Water Boatmen have a one year life
cycle, the nymphs and adult stages
appear the same except adults have
wings. Both stages live in the shallows
up to 6 feet, preferring weedy areas for
cover. They have no gills so must
frequently swim to the surface, grab a
bubble of air and swim back down. To do
this they have strong paddle like hind
legs that they use like oars, this makes
them quick, erratic swimmers. They mate
in early spring around ice off with erratic
behavior around the surface of the lake.
In the fall around the first frosts they fly
off on a migratory flight dispersing
themselves to other waters. At the end
of their flight they splash down like rain
into any part of a lake, stunned for a few
seconds they recover and swim off to the
safety of the shallows.
When to Fish
Boatman are available to trout year round but are
largely ignored except during until their mating
frenzy in the early spring at ice off and again in the
fall when landing from their migratory flight. Trout
will also feed on them when forage for other insects
is scarce.
Type of Fly Line
Floating line with leader/tippet in shallows to 6ft. Tippet size; 4x - 6x. To present below the
surface use a sinking dressing, sinking tippet or weighted fly.
Slow sinking line type I or II with a floating fly in shallows to imitate the swim back down with
an air bubble.
Fly Presentation
Use this fly in areas of weedy bottoms and reeds
in the shallows to 6 ft deep. Cast ahead of
feeding trout, let it settle to their depth and
retrieve when close by. During their migratory
flight they can fall like rain anywhere into the
lake, at this time present the fly to rising fish
opportunistically.
Floating Line - Attach enough tippet and more to
get to the lake bottom. Using a lightly weighted
or sink dressed fly, cast to the shallows, let it
settle and retrieve to imitate a boatman rising to
the surface. During their migratory flight on splash
down they will be stunned for a few seconds
before swimming off. Cast to rising fish, pause a
few seconds and retrieve.
Sinking Line - Dress the fly, leader and even a few
feet of the wet line with floatant. Cast to the
shallows, let the undressed portion of the line
sink until it begins to pull the fly under, retrieve
with short jerks to imitate the fly struggling back
down with a bubble of air. Trout usually strike the
fly near the surface on it's way back down, this is
when it's most vulnerable just after it picks up a
bubble of air.
Flies To Use
Corixid, boatman and backswimmer patters. Size
10 - 16
Colors: Back - dark brown, brown. Minor - tan,
green.
Underside - lighter shade of backside with a
tinsel strip to impart an air bubble.
Here are some successful patterns:
Fly Retrieval
Floating line - Move the fly along in quick jerks of 2-4
inches per second. Pause every 5 to 10 jerks for 2 to 3
seconds and repeat.
Sinking line - Retrieve in quick jerks of 2 to 4 inches
every second or two. Pausing every 5 to 10 jerks will
cause the fly to float back towards the surface imitating
it's struggle with the air bubble. Always vary retrievals,
try short jerks to more continuous strips and alter the
speed.
For even more information on boatman fly patterns visit the fly patterns section of our blog!
Fishing Resources
BC Fishing Regulations
2009 - 2011
2009 - 2011
BC Fishing Licence
... Online Purchase!
... Online Purchase!
Kamloops & District
Fish & Game Association
...join or renew today!
Fish & Game Association
...join or renew today!
BC Wildlife Federation
...join or renew today!
...join or renew today!
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The fishing Song!
... by Brad Paisley
... by Brad Paisley