Sulphur?

luke_m

luke_m

New member
Joined
Sep 23, 2019
Messages
23
Hey everyone. Could use some tips on this mayfly. It is hatching late in the evening on a Lehigh Valley stream. I’m pretty sure that it is a sulphur, but a couple of things have me wondering about it. It has two tails (I thought Ephemerella have 3)? It is smaller than I would expect for E. invaria or rotunda, which should be hatching how. It is about a 16 or even an 18. I started noticing them aa early as mid April. Any thoughts would be appreciated! Nevertheless the trout are rising to them.

IMG 6896
 
Thanks guys! That makes sense. I usually associate them with mid day hatches on cold, cloudy days. I guess they are still hatching but not until late in the day during warmer weather?
 
luke_m said:
Thanks guys! That makes sense. I usually associate them with mid day hatches on cold, cloudy days. I guess they are still hatching but not until late in the day during warmer weather?
Click to expand...
Would this be a sulphur? Another pic of the bug in question, and this one looks different to me on second look. So, think I might actually be confusing two different species here…
IMG 6898
 
like others said. second picture is sulpher. they have a more cream color to them. first picture, has blueish wings and olive body. hence blue wing olive.
 
Neither are pictures of a sulphur. Sulphurs have 3 tails and hind wings. Not sure if the size 16-18 is in reference to sulphurs or the pictures but 16-18 would be correct for the small sulphurs but we are probably a bit away from seeing them in the area mentioned. The last couple weeks the predominate mayfly has been a size 22-24 yellowish/light olive mayfly like the last one pictured. They will also hatch in the fall. I dont know the scientific name but just refer to them as tiny olives/beatis
 
earthbound said:
Neither are pictures of a sulphur. Sulphurs have 3 tails and hind wings. Not sure if the size 16-18 is in reference to sulphurs or the pictures but 16-18 would be correct for the small sulphurs but we are probably a bit away from seeing them in the area mentioned. The last couple weeks the predominate mayfly has been a size 22-24 yellowish/light olive mayfly like the last one pictured. They will also hatch in the fall. I dont know the scientific name but just refer to them as tiny olives/beatis
Click to expand...
Interesting points here, thanks! Both of these bugs are around a 16-18. I can see now these are different species. I took the pictures on different days last week and didn’t inspect them close enough to realize it. The more yellowish species is the one I was describing in my original post. It is hatching right before dusk and definitely has two tails, hence why I was also confused about its identity. Any idea what it could be if not a sulphur?
 
earthbound said:
The last couple weeks the predominate mayfly has been a size 22-24 yellowish/light olive mayfly like the last one pictured.
Click to expand...
This is extremely dependent on what streams and part of the state you may be frequenting. They aren't all identical....
 
jifigz said:
This is extremely dependent on what streams and part of the state you may be frequenting. They aren't all identical....
Click to expand...
Right. My reply was to what yellow mayfly could possibly be hatching in the Lehigh Valley. The area specified in the original post
 
luke_m said:
Interesting points here, thanks! Both of these bugs are around a 16-18. I can see now these are different species. I took the pictures on different days last week and didn’t inspect them close enough to realize it. The more yellowish species is the one I was describing in my original post. It is hatching right before dusk and definitely has two tails, hence why I was also confused about its identity. Any idea what it could be if not a sulphur?
Click to expand...
No I don't. With two tails its not one of the sulphurs. Light cahills have two tails, but it is much too small for a Light cahill, has no hind wings, and the wings are not mottled. So I can only say its not a sulphur and not a Light cahill assuming size 16-18. Would lean toward some type of bwo/baetis though.
 
We can argue entomology but I can promise you that the trout don't count and couldn't care whether it has two or three tails. Match the size, color, and phase of the hatch the fish are keying on. Entomology is for nerds. Tie on a sulphur and go catch fish. Don't overthink it.
 
blitzinstripes said:
We can argue entomology but I can promise you that the trout don't count and couldn't care whether it has two or three tails. Match the size, color, and phase of the hatch the fish are keying on. Entomology is for nerds. Tie on a sulphur and go catch fish. Don't overthink it.
Click to expand...
Nobody questions using a bundle of tailing material, but everyone gets worked up over using just 2 or 3.
 
blitzinstripes said:
We can argue entomology but I can promise you that the trout don't count and couldn't care whether it has two or three tails. Match the size, color, and phase of the hatch the fish are keying on. Entomology is for nerds. Tie on a sulphur and go catch fish. Don't overthink it.
Click to expand...
Sir, this is an entomology sub-forum. Not a Wendy's.
 
earthbound said:
Sir, this is an entomology sub-forum. Not a Wendy's.
Click to expand...
What I want to know is how in the world you can see how many tails that "yellow bug" has in the second picture? I can't even see a single tail, let alone if it has two or three.

In my opinion, based on time of year and appearance of that "yellow bug," that is, without a doubt, a sulphur. There are two or three species of mayflies that we as flyfishers call "sulphurs." No, I am not counting the light cahill in that two or three species count....
 
Counting tails on a photo of a bug is certainly not the most reliable method to ID it. The presence or lack thereof of the hind wings - yes, counting tails - no (too many unknown variables).
 
Yep, BWO
 
blitzinstripes said:
We can argue entomology but I can promise you that the trout don't count and couldn't care whether it has two or three tails. Match the size, color, and phase of the hatch the fish are keying on. Entomology is for nerds. Tie on a sulphur and go catch fish. Don't overthink it.
Click to expand...
Nope. Epeorus hatch underwater, and are better fished with a winged wet fly. This is a case where knowing the difference has a practical application.

Plus, why would I fly fish if I don't want to think about flies?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Harman's North Fork Cottages


Real Time Data From
the USGS Site

Share this page

Back
Top