Another Mayfly ID

[delta_dog]

The hook in the pic is a size 10 1xl dry fly hook

 

[dc410]

I'm thinking Hex on that one. Probably a little bit earlier than I would expect to see one but not out the question.

 

[delta_dog]

Thanks guy that was what I was thinking. Being so early had me thinking it had to be something else.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

You know, something tells me they're early this year....a coworker told me she was crossing the Conestoga south of Lancaster City and was just swarmed w/ big white mayflies.

On Monday night I was out on Hammer and saw several big, white mayflies coming off the water. Probalby saw about 10 of them in a 50 yard stretch. I can't believe it'd be the hexes already, but maybe. I put on a white wulff, but it didn't outproduce the caddis.

 

[pcray1231]

There's different species of hexes, you know. We have at least 3 in PA. limbata, atrocaudata, and bilineata.

Limbata are the largest, most famous, and earliest. But they're so famous because of Wisconsin/Michigan, not PA. I think they are in lesser numbers here, but I think this is a limbata.

The ridiculously massive July hatches on the Allegheny, Ohio, Mon, and bigger tribs I think are bilineata. There might be two separate July hatches, early and late, and if so, the other is atrocaudata.

 

[greenghost]

Hexes are amazing. Their swarms can actually be picked up on radar!
This one occurred in early June in Minnesota...

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/updraft/archive/2010/06/mayfly_hatch_visible_on_dopple.shtml

 

[dc410]

Here's one I took a photo of in 2012 about mid June hanging on the side of a gas pump at the Sheetz at Clarks Ferry along the Susquehanna River. Pretty much looks like the same critter to me. I have trouble telling the difference between the seperate species of Hexagenia but as a whole they are fairly distinct in their markings. They are really cool to watch as they swarm over a creek just before dark, sometimes I catch myself just watchin' and not fishin'.

 

[delta_dog]

I can't wait to target the channel cats with dries this year. Last year the river was blown out when the hatch was at its peak.

 

[JackM]

I thought I saw a lone Hex floating around in the lights at a gas station about 1.5 miles from the Monongahela River last night. as the hatch is relatively "new" and may be growing and expanding, it would not surprise me to see more of the the species that might thrive in the same locations.

 

[pcray1231]

Jack,

Not sure about your location exactly, but up the Allegheny a ways it is not uncommon to close bridges over the river during hatches, and it's been this way for at least a decade. They're attracted to the street lights on the bridge, and fall in massive numbers on the deck. Dead bugs are slippery.

Heard of similar things on the Ohio below Pittsburgh, as well.

The link is to a video from Kittanning PA, not far from where I grew up. Places all along the river are like this for a night or two each year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBL69W7G3gc

They are darker in color than the hexes in this thread, and I believe them to be bilineata. Which coincides with this:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/326392/bgimage

 

[David]

Stopped for gas Harmarville (on the allegheny) on the way home from Camp run with 7 year old Sarah. Hexes were everywhere under the lights. She caught one to bring home. I explained the life cycle. she kept it as a pet until 3am (when I told her it might die) and she snuck it outside and released it to do it's thing. She slept in late sunday morning...

 

[sipe]

Is this primarily a warm water bug or do they produce good hatches on trout waters as well? What streams are known for good Hex hatches (central pa/south central/ south eastern)?

 

[pcray1231]

I know there are a few hexes in central/south central/southeastern, but in PA, I don't think they're super abundant like they are in the Mississippi drainages, and perhaps Lake Erie drainage. Even in the west, it can be a little spotty.

Yes, there are decent hatches on some trout streams. I'm more familiar with the Allegheny drainage from Pitt up to Kinzua. In the northern part of that area, smaller streams generally do harbor wild trout, while larger streams are typically too warm. Like the drakes elsewhere in the state, many smaller streams do have fishable hatches, and the trout fishing can be excellent. But the ridiculous blizzards generally occur on larger, richer streams, which in this area of the state, yes, is typically stocked/warmwater type streams. And they come off pretty late for the stockies. There are no streams the size of Penns/LJR, or even Spring/BFC, which hold significant numbers of wild fish.