Mayfly Hatch?

[HockeyPhil]

Hello, I am coming up and staying with the family on June 9th for a week. I was wondering about the mayfies at that time. Will we be there for the peak of the hatch? Or, because of the warmer than usual weather have they already started to hatch? I saw DonP mention he was greeted to some flys at the boat launch about a week ago, but haven't read anything else about them since. Any info or "professional" theories/opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Phil

[Don Pemble]

Phil,

The flys I seen on the dock were a much smaller version compared the the large ones that will be hatching soon. Will they be done or even started by June 9th is anyones guess, just have to deal with them like always, fish thru them and hope for the best. Try to match the hatch, I use a dull colored yellow jig tipped with a small piece of crawler and that seems to work the best. Good luck.

[sjguzin]

Has anyone had much success fly fishing with poppers during the hatch?

[HockeyPhil]

Thanks for the info Don. We'll keep our fingers crossed. See you guys in a couple weeks, until then happy hunting and tight lines

[Floating Dock]

Has anyone had much success fly fishing with poppers during the hatch?

I think the SMB would respond to poppers, but if you want to target walleye I think a #6 Hare's Ear Nymph would work. Walleyes eat the mayflies before they reach the surface.

[sjguzin]

I think the SMB would respond to poppers, but if you want to target walleye I think a #6 Hare's Ear Nymph would work. Walleyes eat the mayflies before they reach the surface.

Gotcha... I could also pull out an softhackle emerger. Thank you.

[Mark Benson]

When I was a kid we couldn't wait for the mayfly hatch. We would at times catch 'eyes on the surface with a floating deer hair bug imitating the emergers. That was a different era though and we ate the panfish and smallmouth bass, considering the walleyes a treat, just not catching a lot of them nor caring.

Mark

[Don Pemble]

Was out yesterday and upon my return to Fishermen's Landing I noticed several large mayfly carcasses floating on the surface, will let you know what I find today.

[Don Pemble]

They are here, mayfly's popping up everywhere, good luck fishing to all.

[byronbears84]

Thank you Don,
Does that mean the official/large mayfly hatch began? how long does it typically take the fish to get back into their normal feeding habits after the dreaded hatch begin? My trip begins a week from tomorrow, little worried now!

[Loweboy]

Just got back from the U P a week ago.The Mayfly hatch was already going on and slowed fishing down for a few days.But we still managed to catch plenty of nice eyes even during the hatch.

[Don Pemble]

Yes, it's the big mayfly's and lot's of them. not for you to worry about, will be all done by the time you get here. I was out today and we got several walleye on Reeves weedless jigs tipped with 1/2 crawlers, most all of them came on a sharp breakline that started with shoreline boulders that dropped off to 12 feet, they were stacked here probably feeding on mayfly's or minnows that were being blown into the rocks.