White Fly in the burgh?

ryanh

ryanh

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Sep 9, 2006
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I know its getting to be that time of the year. Does anybody know if there are white fly hatches on the Allegheny in the burgh? What about the lower stretches of the Loyalhanna or Kiski Rivers?
Thx
 
I've never checked the Allegheny for hatches, but I have seen a few on the Yough around the end of august.
However, it is very sparse, and doesn't happen until just about dark. I catch a few fish on them. It's nothing like the hatch on the Breeches, or when the Little Juniata used to have it good.
Whereever I've fished them, they never start until late, and you have maybe half an hour to 45 minutes on it. I don't really think it's worth hunting for, unless you're into night fishing.
As Tom mentioned, someone - Pennkiev? - has posted a few times on here about them being on Slippery Rock. I think that he's catching mostly bass there by then. It may be worth checking out though
 
I'm not so sure about White flys on the Allegheny, but this is interesting

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_185073406.html

Look at all those bugs!

Although I have not fished it during a White Fly hatch, I too have heard that Slippery Rock has a nice hatch of them. I belive this time of year is about when they're hatching. Smallies, if I remember correctly, are what is most active on that stream with that particular hatch.
 
Hexagenia Limbata?
 
I was at slippery rock last weekend and caught a few browns at the dam at nightfall. They're still in there but the stream is low. Doubt there's much downstream.
 
Yeah, slippery Rock has tons of white flies. The hatch doesn't really get into full swing until the last week in July and first week of August.
FWIW, a good hatch on the Rock is more than just a noticable amount of bugs. During a good hatch it will look like a freaking blizzard and if you turn a flash light on you will get covered in white flies in about two seconds. The best fishing is the last half hour before dark. After that there are just too many bugs if you fish during the peak of the hatch.

Follow this link for some pictures.

Whiteflies

Kev
 
Ry,

Where is the dam you're talking about? Did you fish the Delayed Harvest section and work your way downstream or up from the parking area? I have fished it a few times and didn't wander too far from the bridge. I've not fished this stream often since Neshannock is not far away I always end up there. Good to know that the stream is still holding trout.
 
Nice pics and nice bass !!!!! But you need to work on those guns a little .. JK :-D I don't live to far from the Bradywine and it has a nice whitefly hatch but I stil haven't seen to many rises to it by the bass but I have seen the sunies rise for the hatch
 
Yes. There is definitely a good whitefly hatch on Slippery Rock and I agree that the best time to hit it is probably late July/early August. I was there one evening a number of years ago and saw one of the heaviest mayfly hatches I have ever seen. The water temps were well over 70 degrees, probably closer to 80 than 70, so no fish were rising. You could probably try just about any section for smallies and you'd probably catch a few. I've never really hit many smallies on Slippery Rock, but I also never fished hard for them either.

I've also seen a big hatch while driving through Franklin, PA on a summer evening. I'm not sure if they were hatching on French Creek or the Allegheny. Perhaps both. Both waters hold good smallies.

A couple of other waters that you might expect white fly hatches in the area are Oil Creek or Neshannock.

Tom
 
JackM,
Have you ever seen them on the Mon? My wife gew up in Speers, and while visiting my Mother-in-law last year there where some big spinners all over the place. Not sure if the are White flies though.
JH

PS.. Friend of mine says he has seen them on the Yough.
 
I have seen Hexagenia on the Monongahela River in the Speers area. I cannot recall seeing whiteflies, though I don't spend time near the river this time of year or any time of year since I've started fly fishing.
 
ffj

the thing about white flies is...they hatch and molt in the sam evening, often times without landing. (at least on the susky). THe spinners look much like the duns. Its a specticle.

We refer to the really heavy ones as goggle hatches. We wear safty goggles, bandanas over our mouths and long sleeve shirts buttoned to the top. When you go home from it, you still have dozens if not hundreds in your clothing.

You shake them out of your gear for weeks.

I can't wait.

Maurice
 
Maurice & JackM,
Thanks for clearing that up for me, those where Hex's I saw then.
JH
 
What does the whitefly nymph look like? If this hatch is that heavy on S.R. it must make sense to fish the nymph pattern at almost any time. Anybody have any thoughts on this?
 
They are tan in color, about a size 10. Like a haresear....

Anyway, here is the Troutnut's page on them

Ephoron Leukon - White Flies

Swinging a white wet fly during the hatch is a very good way to get the less aggressive and larger fish. As well, a rapala or slider, floating minnow is a good way to get the big boys who lie in wait for the smaller fish to take the duns and let their guard down.

Maurice
 
abbrod wrote:
What does the whitefly nymph look like? If this hatch is that heavy on S.R. it must make sense to fish the nymph pattern at almost any time. Anybody have any thoughts on this?
Click to expand...

Here is a link to a picture and a brief description which, as I suspected, explains that the nymphs is a burrower, like the Green Drake, which means it is not really available as a food for trout until just before (and during, of course) the emergence:

http://www.thomasames.com/insects/mayfly/ephoronn.htm
 
FWIW I've had some success using a scaled down hex style nymph in the hour or two before the whitefly hatch. IMO the key is a light tan fly with plenty of movement. Thus, I prefer imitations with gills of marabou or hackle fluff. On that note, a very small wooly bugger would probably work admirably also. I've found a hand twist retrieve to be very effective. Cast upstream, let the fly sink as deep as possible, then retrieve steadily across stream. Strikes will be obvious. A bead head or some lead wire on the nymph works well with this method.

Kev
 
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