Today's Still water mayfly hatch

[delopez]

So, it was a glorious 65 degree wakeup call, this morning. The water was still, and beautiful. And I couldn't catch a damn thing on anything that I had in my box. As I took notice, I saw mayflies about and decided that they were probably hindering my fishing day. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything in my box that closely resembled the mayflies hatching...

So, can anyone tell me what type of mayflies these are? I never get to see a hatch, so today was a special pleasure for me. It was nice.

 

[pikefisher69]

I may be wrong, but that looks like a Hex. We get them at my cabin, they are out at night and you can still find them in the morning and day, just not as active.

 

[raindogt]

I *think* pikefisher sorted this one for you with Hex (hexagenia). As was mentioned, they usually offer phenomenal fishing after the 8 PM hour.

 

[stl_geoff]

Its a yellowish/tan mayfly. you need ones that color

I will agree with the hex guess, abit a smaller one.

 

[delopez]

They were still landing through the afternoon. We went to a different lake around 2 pm and saw more. However, the simple fiber tail, dubbed body, and hackle wing wouldn't work. I would assume that realism in still water is the key? Does anyone have any good extended body patterns for this particular fly?

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[rickf]

Mayfly Species Ephemera varia (Yellow Drake)

Simply a wonderful fly to tie!

 

[delopez]

When I look up this species, it shows a mayfly with three barbs sticking out from its tail. Every fly that I grabbed had only two. Is there any difference because of the barbs?

 

[williamhj]

When you say 'this species' are you referring to the Hex or to the Yellow Drake Rickf mentioned? If the fly was hatching during the day and at the end of August / beginning of September it seems the wrong time of day and wrong time of year for a Hex. I'm use to them hatching more June-ish and after dark. Not sure if it is different where you live. Also look more like a yellow drake to me.

 

[diamond rush]

Definitely a Hex of some sort. In MN, we'd see them all through August until the first good chill. They'd hatch out of still water ponds with a silty/mucky bottom. All the ones I saw had 3-barbed tails, though. Check out:

Genus Hexagenia - BugGuide.Net

 

[delopez]

I was referring to the ones that I'm holding in the picture. The temperature dropped dramatically in the night, so if cooler weather initiates a hatch, it was definitely good condition for it. Either way, I'm just trying to get a good extended body pattern for this. My understanding is that because it sits in still water, that fish have a longer time to examine the offering. So, something more life-like would be a better choice in this case? Please let me know what you think about my ideology.

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[diamond rush]

You might find this article by the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer helpful:

Hungry for Hex: Minnesota DNR

 

[delopez]

Thanks, diamond rush. You know, we have a similar trout river in Missouri called the niangua. Rainbow and brown are stocked and their is somewhat of a natural reproducing population. What's funny is that it's more of a warmer, cold water river, reaching temperatures to the upper 70s. But still, Browns and rainbows thrive. I would say that the same technique would work on that river. I will have to give it a try. I like to swing a five weight spey rod for trout because it's just a blast, but this might have me swinging a dry hex pattern or even breaking out the single hand six weight Winston and having a bit of single hand fun.

What thrilled me the most about seeing the hatch, or remnants of the hatch, was just that. I hadn't seen a hatch before. I like to swing emerger patterns and other streamer patterns by throwing across river and mending upstream. This allows for the fly to sink and at the end of the swing it starts to rise, like an emerging bug attempting to hatch.

That being said, it's awesome to find patterns that I can fish on the local ponds and not have to rely on patterns like the clouser minnow, or the woolly bugger. Instead, I can fish neater patterns, like this hex, for largemouth and rising catfish. Its just spectacular. I fish at least three days a week and I always see something new.

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