Mayfly ID

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Cold
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2010/10/05 13:29:28 (permalink)

Mayfly ID

While fishing Yellow Breeches Saturday evening, I was witness to a nice late-season hatch. 2 kinds of caddis and 2 kinds of mayflies all at once. While the surface activity wasn't exactly booming, there was enough that I took a few trout up top. Specifically, I'm curious about the mayflies. One was medium sized (maybe a #14) and pale cream, close to white. Possibly the famous white flies?

The other really had me stumped. It was huge (at least a #8), and gray-brown, with yellowish-brown legs. Wings looked veined but not mottled. Was unable to catch one for a photo either, unfortuantely.

Any ideas?
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    thedrake
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    RE: Mayfly ID 2010/10/05 13:34:18 (permalink)
    The first was likely a whitefly. My bet is the second would be a slate drake (isonychia bicolor).
    post edited by thedrake - 2010/10/05 13:35:13
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    Cold
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    RE: Mayfly ID 2010/10/05 13:48:37 (permalink)
    Thanks drake.

    If it was an iso, they must be feeding them real good in central PA. The isos around here, I imitate with a #14 para-adams. These things could have eaten an iso from SW PA. These flies were nearly as big as the green drakes I've seen on local streams.
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    thedrake
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    RE: Mayfly ID 2010/10/05 13:53:31 (permalink)
    We have some big iso's here on the little J. Maybe not quite as big as an #8, but definitley a #10. They look bigger as they're flying.
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    Cold
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    RE: Mayfly ID 2010/10/05 14:06:14 (permalink)
    That was probably it, then. I'm kind of surprised the fish weren't paying much attention to them. They get stupid for an iso hatch here.

    Thanks again.
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    D-nymph
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    RE: Mayfly ID 2010/10/05 14:32:58 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: Cold

    That was probably it, then. I'm kind of surprised the fish weren't paying much attention to them. They get stupid for an iso hatch here.

     
    Here they have to take what they can get or starve. 
     
    There they have more food than they need and can be choosey.
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