Big yellow mayfly

[delopez]

Anyone know what this is? Very big. Hex? Yellow Drake. Off of a pond.

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[flybri2]

Not sure where you're located but here in the east I would say the 1st two are sulfurs (even though the one looks big), the bottom on is a golden drake.

 

[stenacron]

Looks like a burrowing type of mayfly... likely a Hexagenia species... not 100% though, but the indicators are there.

 

[delopez]

Assuming golden Drake is a hex species

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[stenacron]

Assuming golden Drake is a hex species

Not according to Troutnut.com... Golden Drake is a cold, flowing water mayfly species of the genus Anthopotamus. Now it is quite possible that Golden Drake is a common name applied to multiple species (i.e. Blue-winged Olive) or regionally applied (i.e. Green Drake east vs west are not the same species or genus).

If you're sure this specimen hatched from a stillwater environment that should narrow the search.

 

[delopez]

Yep. I'm sure. I know it's a hex fly. But which one!? I guess I should just capture one and tie off of it.

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[kentuckysteve]

Yep. I'm sure. I know it's a hex fly. But which one!? I guess I should just capture one and tie off of it.

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I understand about match the hatch and have read a little on entomology but i do not fish for trout very often.Does the fly really have to be that detailed or would any yellow mayfly pattern in same color same size work?Do the trout take the time to check out the details on a surface fly or do they just see something they associate with that hatch and go for it?
Just curious.

 

[delopez]

Actually, this is on a pond with largemouth bass, catfish, etc. Catfish rise to these. I fish a lot of warm water species. At night, they go nuts over these.

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[stenacron]

Yep. I'm sure. I know it's a hex fly. But which one!? I guess I should just capture one and tie off of it.

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Hexagenia limbata are well represented in warmwater lakes. What part of the country are you in?

 

[delopez]

Northwestern Missouri

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[stenacron]

Northwestern Missouri

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Got this link on a MO bugs site:
Giant Mayfly - Bug Scientific Name, Characteristics, Classification, Taxonomy, Territorial Reach and Size

 

[delopez]

Excellent find. Those are definitely it. Another hatch that happens on the Missouri River in my area is a giant gray mayfly. Anyway, I love dry fly fishing with giant dry flies and an eight weight!

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[corn fed fins]

When I was living in Ft. Collins, CO. I once found the biggest yellow mayfly I had ever seen on a warm water lake. If memory serves me correct it's the same species. Only saw the one. Some people were doubtful but I also caught lightning bugs there as well. If only cameras where so readily available then.lol

 

[philly]

I came across a similar hatch when I was fishing a lake in Central Vermont over the 4th. Hatch started about dusk and fish were rising to them. They were pale yellow which sort of threw me off since the only Hexes I've gotten a good look at were on a lake in Northern Ontario and they were olive-gray color. Caught one little smallmouth on a yellow spider, and missed a couple of more. The next evening when I came back with some large soft hackles there weren't near as many mayflies or fish rising.

 

[delopez]

When I was living in Ft. Collins, CO. I once found the biggest yellow mayfly I had ever seen on a warm water lake. If memory serves me correct it's the same species. Only saw the one. Some people were doubtful but I also caught lightning bugs there as well. If only cameras where so readily available then.lol

Quite literally headed back from fort Collins, now... Ha!

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[Flyfisher for men]

I'm a little late on this, but I've seen them here in northeast Kansas, not far from delopez. I've had a very knowledgeable person say they are more common here than people realize, but due to night hatches, they go relatively unobserved.

Hexagenia make for excellent smallmouth fishing, btw. I learned that researching and fishing a Michigan smallie stream.

 

[delopez]

You're fine. I actually see these from spring to fall around me.

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[just4grins]

Sorry for ill timed humor.