Pa Insect books

[Javelin389t]

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a book on penn. aquatic insects ? I am trying to get back into fly fishing and trying to do it the right way. I have a lot to learn.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Are you interested in actual entomology and identification aquatic macroinvertebrates or learning hatches and matching fly patterns?

 

[afishinado]

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a book on penn. aquatic insects ? I am trying to get back into fly fishing and trying to do it the right way. I have a lot to learn.

"Pocketguide to Pennsylvania Hatches" by Charles Meck & Paul Weamer is an excellent book which covers just about every hatch you will ever see in PA. It also has great photos of the insects and fly recommendations for each hatch. I can't recommend it more!!

https://www.amazon.com/Pocketguide-Pennsylvania-Hatches-Charles-Meck/dp/0979346053/ref=asc_df_0979346053/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312146967297&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17724465086145124643&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007376&hvtargid=pla-568636256602&psc=1&mcid=2623b7af12973420a0984dee118f9aa2&gclid=CjwKCAiA_5WvBhBAEiwAZtCU74XJpRBFGldgxUFzeZ5_KgABM8pJTb8h74ym5ve7O5w05SPtOmUOrRoCXjwQAvD_BwE

 

[jifigz]

"Pocketguide to Pennsylvania Hatches" by Charles Meck & Paul Weamer is an excellent book which covers just about every hatch your will see in PA. It also has great photos of the insects and fly recommendations for each hatch. I can't recommend it more!!

https://www.amazon.com/Pocketguide-Pennsylvania-Hatches-Charles-Meck/dp/0979346053/ref=asc_df_0979346053/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312146967297&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17724465086145124643&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007376&hvtargid=pla-568636256602&psc=1&mcid=2623b7af12973420a0984dee118f9aa2&gclid=CjwKCAiA_5WvBhBAEiwAZtCU74XJpRBFGldgxUFzeZ5_KgABM8pJTb8h74ym5ve7O5w05SPtOmUOrRoCXjwQAvD_BwE

I'll second the "pocketbook" of hatches.

 

[Javelin389t]

Are you interested in actual entomology and identification aquatic macroinvertebrates or learning hatches and matching fly patterns

 

[gibsygoldtop]

I'll 3rd the pocket guide

 

[Javelin389t]

I’ll probably start with pa hatch’s and patterns. Then maybe more detail on critters life cycle.

 

[Javelin389t]

I'll 3rd the pocket guide

I'll second the "pocketbook" of hatches.

Thanks. I’ll check it out.

 

[falcon]

Weamer mentioned in NY Pocketguide that some corrections were needed in the PA Pocketguide. I dont recall what they were offhand. I use the NY version which works for PA

 

[Bamboozle]

"Hatches or Hatches II" by Al Caucci & Bob Nastasi and their "Instant Mayfly Identification Guide" has been my bible for decades.

They are not PA specific and I'm sure the classification names have changed about 50 times but none of that matters. The information that you need; photos, bug behavior, sizes, colors and approximate hatching dates is all there.

I used to tote around "pocket guides" but decided it wasn't necessary as fish can't read it doesn't matter a hoot what you call something as long as it works.

These days I carry a small metal metric scale with me. If I'm blaming my ineptitude on not having the correct fly I'll grab a bug, measure it, jot down the colors and tie up some flies the same size & color when I get home.

If I have nothing else to do I may try and figure out what it is "officially," but calling it a "10 mm bug with a brown body, tan legs and dark dun wing" is good enough for me...

 

[Tups]

“10 mm, brown body, tan legs, and dark dun wings”.

Paraleptophlebia spp.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

V. Marinaro's Modern Dry Fly Code - while not a taxonomy guide - contains some very detailed descriptions of "important-to-flyfishing" bugs in PA. At least one-half of a chapter is devoted to the Japanese beetle (I know... not aquatic).
The Becks' Pocket Guide is probably the best of its type that I can think of.

 

[sandflyx]

I have a 6' by 6' data paper that has all the insects.

 

[rrt]

Ted Fauceglia's "Mayflies," a lovely coffee-table style book with excellent photos and nice write ups for 17 PA mayfly hatches. It actually is more expansive on mayflies than the Meck/Weamer guide, which is also a very helpful book and is probably more easily found than the Fauceglia book.

 

[Tigereye]

Those mentioned above are top notch and should be your first choice. Easier reading but not PA specific is Art Flicks, Streamside guide. Hits all the major mayflies encountered here in PA (his book is about the Schoharie in NY. ) I think this book may precede the others and is what I used to cut my teeth. Learned alot on how and when to fish the hatches and the order of when they emerge.