The Ephemera-Ovale Baetis Silk Selection was born from a precise idea: to offer fly tyers a coordinated and complete collection of silks dedicated to imitating the most important mayflies in our waters. This exclusive selection, brings together for the first time the two finest silks produced by the historic Parisian house Au Ver à Soie in a color palette specifically designed to reproduce all shades of olive.
A Collection for Baetis and Beyond
Mayflies of the Baetis family are among the most widespread and important in Europe and North America. Their hatches occur practically year-round, with peaks in spring and fall, making their imitations essential in every fly fisher's box. But this selection goes beyond simple Baetis: the seven colors that make up the collection are also perfect for tying the celebrated classic Spanish flies described in the legendary Astorga Manuscript of 1624, one of the oldest texts on fly fishing ever discovered.
The Astorga Manuscript, written by Juan de Bergara in the city of León, describes numerous traditional Spanish flies that used precisely these natural tones. This connection between past and present makes our Baetis selection a perfect tool both for those who want to fish with modern imitations and for those who wish to recreate the historic flies of Iberian tradition.
The Selection Contents
The collection includes 14 total spools: 7 colors in Ephemera Pure Silk Thread and 7 identical colors in Ovale Silk Floss. Each color was chosen to represent a specific olive tone you'll find in nature: 3732 Pale Olive, 524 Light Olive, 3733 Olive, 525 Medium Olive, 2226 Dark Olive, 2224 BWO and F15 Primrose
Two Silks, Infinite Possibilities
Having both types of silk in the same colors means being able to choose the right material for every application. Ephemera Pure Silk Thread is ideal as tying thread for building thin and resistant bodies on dry flies, spiders, soft hackles, and North Country style wet flies.
Ovale Silk Floss, on the other hand, is the best choice when you want to create voluminous bodies. It's perfect for Catskill-style dry flies, classic wet flies, salmon flies, and streamers. Its texture allows for easy division and working, enabling you to create perfectly uniform bodies.
Practical Applications
With this selection, you can tie an entire range of imitations. For Baetis dry flies, use Ovale Silk Floss to create perfect flat bodies, choosing Pale Olive or Light Olive for spring hatches. For emergers and soft hackles, Ephemera Thread guarantees the necessary fineness and strength, while the BWO color perfectly reproduces the tones of emerging Blue Winged Olives.
Baetis nymphs can be tied in all developmental stages: from Dark Olive for mature nymphs to Pale Olive for juvenile stages. Both silks allow you to create realistic bodies with the right translucency that imitates the natural insect body.
And for those who want to try tying the classic Spanish flies from the Astorga Manuscript, this selection offers precisely the colors used by Leonese fishermen of the 17th century, allowing you to recreate authentic historical imitations with modern materials that remain faithful to tradition.
The Au Ver à Soie Tradition
Both silks are produced in France for over 180 years by the legendary Parisian house Au Ver à Soie. The artisanal dyeing process on skeins guarantees perfect color uniformity, exceptional strength, and lasting brilliance over time. The quality of these silks is renowned worldwide and represents a standard of excellence in fly tying.