well I just had to look into this. My BBSII reel handle measured .375". csoult may have had a III so the handle diameter might be different. Bob, you measured "some trout reel handles" that came in at 5/16" or .3125". I also measured a size 16 TMC 100 that came in a .325". So my TMC size 16 is bigger than your reel handle measurement. For a frame of reference, a sheet of paper is about .003".
I found some interesting things when I researched Leptophlebia. Caucci and Nastasi wrote of Leptophlebia, "Nymphs thrive instead on more sluggish lowland, coastal waters; those between the high country and the tidal rivers..." also, "it is very difficult to conceive of trout fishing on these bottomland or metropolis rivers, where these mayflies thrive..."
further from Hatches II, "we have never found these mayflies to be a major hatch concern to trout fisherman. Several decades of combined diary notes have confirmed only a few hatches of these species on bonafied trout streams."
Even Schweibert only ever found a hatch of Lepto on the Nissequogue on Long Island.
I even included a pic of Troutnut's Lepto. All I'm saying is that I was there while the bugs in question were hatching and they were 16/18. My
best guess based on emergence, stream flow, substrate, location, etc is that they are some sort of common paralep or blue quill. I would say adoptiva.
I think that if this section of PAFF is to be used as a mayfly/caddis/etc resource we shouldn't be so definitive in our judgement of some posts...without seeing venations, gill structure, abdominal plates, hind wings, size, etc, which you can't see in a small picture, and which I have no interest in.
Sometimes its ok to not know. I should know. I never do.
Edit: pcray may have hijacked my account.