Lake mayfly

[Tom Butler]

There was a massive hatch of these coming off the lake yesterday.

Now we were fishing for stocked trout so I'm sure they had no clue what was up. Fish were suspended, so no one fishing bottom or power bait was having any luck.

But once I put one of these on under a float on the spin rods for the boys they were in business too. No pic's, I was too busy.

So one of the guys down the way came down and asked why my flies were catching fish, and they couldn't get one. I pointed to the chair and said "because we're using black flies". And guess what, we didn't have to keep a single fish!
Kids were home with the flu monday, guess what I woke up with?

 

[Matt B]

There was a massive hatch of these coming off the lake yesterday.
View attachment 111180
Now we were fishing for stocked trout so I'm sure they had no clue what was up. Fish were suspended, so no one fishing bottom or power bait was having any luck.
View attachment 111181
But once I put one of these on under a float on the spin rods for the boys they were in business too. No pic's, I was too busy.
View attachment 111182
So one of the guys down the way came down and asked why my flies were catching fish, and they couldn't get one. I pointed to the chair and said "because we're using black flies". And guess what, we didn't have to keep a single fish!
Kids were home with the flu monday, guess what I woke up with?

Nice work. I’d call that a callibaetis spinner based on the info and image. Hope you feel better soon, Tom!

 

[Taxon]

Hi Tom-

I believe your mayfly image to be of genus Siphlonurus. Please see WA Mayfly Description.

 

[Tom Butler]

Hi Tom-

I believe your mayfly image to be of genus Siphlonurus. Please see WA Mayfly Description.

Thank you.

 

[Mark Melton]

Great identification, Roger!

 

[Jim F.]

Get well soon, Tom! The Kids have shared with everyone but me so far. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Tom Butler]

Hi Tom-

I believe your mayfly image to be of genus Siphlonurus. Please see WA Mayfly Description.

Great identification, Roger!

So Gentleman, after a little research on the Siphlonurus, would I be correct to think that those probably came from the creek about 1/2 mile away, and that those were spinners that had flown or had been blown to the lake? They did recently fill that lake from the stream. I am curious, because I think the panfish were taking advantage.

 

[Taxon]

So Gentleman, after a little research on the Siphlonurus, would I be correct to think that those probably came from the creek about 1/2 mile away, and that those were spinners that had flown or had been blown to the lake? They did recently fill that lake from the stream. I am curious, because I think the panfish were taking advantage.

As shown in my WA Aquatic Insect Emergence Chart, Siphlonurus mayflies can be present in both Move and Still waters. However, I believe the greater likelihood would be that they spent their nymphal lifestage in the lake, emerged from it as subimagos, and returned to it as imagos in order to mate.

 

[Mark Melton]

Probably grow in both the creek and the lake. They're really tough little guys as nymphs and can tolerate flooded fields and even sewage ponds. Excellent examples of being able to make it in nearly every freshwater environment.

 

[Matt B]

Every time I make a half-assed aquatic insect guess only to be corrected by Roger or Mark or another more knowledgeable member, I tell myself I'm going to stop doing that. Then 6 months or so pass and guess what?