indication you might be experiencing a mayfly hatch......

[krayfish2]

Did a little fishing last evening on the Susky with Mutzabaugh. The blizzard is upon us. Wish the water was a little lower / clearer.

 

[JG63]

Ephoron Leukon! Yay! Get out the snowblower!

 

[Six-Gun]

Boy, that looks awesome. Prolific hatches like that are just amazing. One time while fishing out of a kayak, a critter hatched so thick I had to get out of the water. At the time, I didn't know it, but it was a trico hatch. I have never seen one that heavy since, but the memory is permanent.

 

[J55tyger88]

Dang. I guess thats a pretty good indication. Shoulda slapped him on the back!

 

[Fishidiot]

Good stuff. Any surface activity by bass or other fish?

 

[krayfish2]

I wasn't prepared. Normally take a something to cover mouth / nose so you don't eat a pound of them. The water was still stained which I wasn't expecting. We saw a few risers but not many. We might have caught the first good night of hatching.

Saw more minnow schools being chased by bass. Tossed a twister in that direction and it was fast hook up. All but one were long line release. Nothing bigger than 14". No action on muddy buddy w/ sink tip. I should have had a floating line and a white popper. Should be cooking over the next couple of days.

 

[PhilC]

You need to try head and shoulders

 

[Alnitak]

When I was in college I worked two summers installing irrigation systems. That was about 22 years ago. Anyway, some numbskull used really long spikes on an aerator on the baseball field where the Harrisburg Senators play and we were called in to repair the mess. I recall one morning we arrived at the field and there were literally drifts of dead mayflies piled up everywhere. I was amazed as back then I wasn't interested in fly fishing or bugs, so I wasn't aware of the hatches that can occur. If that happened today I'd be scheming how I could get out for some fly fishing.

 

[krayfish2]

Well, it's happening so start scheming. How about tossing out a white wulff on 4x only to end up with a 30" channel cat gulping it down? How about a 30 pound carp by accident. You want to talk about getting a knot in your forearm.

 

[Alnitak]

krayfish2 wrote:
Well, it's happening so start scheming. How about tossing out a white wulff on 4x only to end up with a 30" channel cat gulping it down? How about a 30 pound carp by accident. You want to talk about getting a knot in your forearm.

OK, I'm liking the sound of that. Now, what kind of rod? The heaviest I've got is a 9' 5WT. This sounds like too much fun.

Jeff

 

[JF_]

I remember some years ago tossing a white wulff on the susq and having the smallies come out of the water and grab the fly before it even landed. Good times....

 

[laszlo]

When do you expect them to hit the Breeches?

 

[tomitrout]

Breeches is usually a couple of weeks behind the first sightings on the river.

 

[BrookieChaser]

krayfish2 wrote:
Well, it's happening so start scheming. How about tossing out a white wulff on 4x only to end up with a 30" channel cat gulping it down? How about a 30 pound carp by accident. You want to talk about getting a knot in your forearm.

This sounds like fun. This hatch was on my summer fish list. I just need to tie up some white flies. If it holds off til the weekend.

I have no experience with this hatch, other than being caught in a blizzard on the Juniata while catfishing. Does the hatch start low and head up river or is it fairly consistent everywhere? I assume from your other posts you float the river?

 

[krayfish2]

Jeff, 5wt will handle the general fishing provided its not too windy. If you hook something unexpected, you can point the rod and snap them off if need be. You won't see too much until after 8 and then it starts to get ugly

 

[krayfish]

My understanding is that it starts around Wrightsville and moves up river fairly slowly. I'd expect that it will be around the Hbg area for a couple of days and then working it's way up toward the NY border. I mentioned white wulff because it's easier to see and floats well. You could toss just about anything at them.

Back in the 80's, I wore weedwhacking goggles and a bandana over my mouth to keep them out of my windpipe. You could have several hundred on your chest while fishing. If you freak easily, not your kind of fishing. It really gets cranking from 8:30-9pm until 11pm. The river is still a bit high for wading in many sections (I always used 3.2' on Hbg gauge for my starting point near Purdix).
I did float the other day and I might just put in at Ft. Hunter and row upstream 100-200 yards, park on a weed island and wait for dusk.

Hmmm, logged in under old account by accident. Sorry.

 

[wgmiller]

The Susky's showing 12,200 cfs at Harrisburg now, so the "summer flow" is upon us. In looking back, typically the white flies show up in early August on the Susky...

 

[krayfish2]

Sunday I was covered with a white fly. Covered with them. I also remember it being August 10-15 for the hatch date. Didn't bother to identify them just kept pitching my grub and releasing them 20' from the pontoon. Hadn't seen many bugs for a week or so and then after the front hung up Saturday and it showered, I woke up to a house blanketed w/ suphurs, olives, iso, varied stenos, etc. Sunday's hatch was heavy enough it had me thinking it was the real thing.

 

[BrookieChaser]

Thanks for the info Krayfish (1 & 2).

 

[krayfish2]

wg or delta dog might be able to give more info on wading spots. I know if you get up above me, there's wide fairly flat sections that aren't too deep.