Tim's Water Boatman

The Tim's Water Boatman fly pattern was developed by Tim Drummond, a seasoned guide with North Park Anglers in Walden, Colorado. Recognizing the trout's predilection for water boatmen in the Delaney Butte Lakes, Drummond crafted this fly to emulate the insect's distinctive profile and movement. The pattern features a gunmetal-colored glass bead to mimic the insect's head and add subtle flash, while the body is constructed with black peacock Ice Dub to replicate the natural sheen. Flexi-Floss legs are swept back along the body to imitate the oar-like appendages of the natural insect. This fly has proven effective in stillwater environments, particularly during periods when water boatmen are prevalent.

Bubble Burst Tactic: Apply a light coat of floatant only to the shellback and legs, leaving the body untreated. This allows the fly to trap a small air bubble, replicating the natural shimmer of a live water boatman collecting air for its dives. This subtle flash can attract trout in clear, high-pressure waters.