Crane fly?

[echuck66]

I took this picture along Pine Creek at my camp site in Cedar Run last week. My best guess is that this might be a crane fly. Can anyone confirm this or know what kind of bug this might be?

Thanks,

Charlie

 

[govtmule]

sure looks like a cranefly to me

 

[echuck66]

I hardly ever see crane flies on hatch charts, yet there were a lot of them flying around the creek last week.

Searching specifically for crane fly patterns yields many different flies, so I'm wondering if this is a bug readily consumed by trout or if it's considered to be a 'minor hatch'.

 

[Chaz]

They are very common flies on trout streams. I use a # 18 orange crane fly to imitate that fly and slay the trout, and salmon with them.

 

[govtmule]

I think its hard to pin point which are hatching from water vs ones near soil....but the females lay eggs on the water...

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/crane_fly.htm

 

[shortrod2]

echuck66 wrote:
... so I'm wondering if this is a bug readily consumed by trout or if it's considered to be a 'minor hatch'.

In my experience both are true. Trout will feed on them and may even become selective to them (possibly the source of my great frustration one evening on Fishing Creek).

However they are a minor hatch on many streams. On most of the waters I fish they are rarely seen.

 

[Chaz]

Here's the pattern Hook #18 dry fly hook, Thread Orange, dubbing hare line sulphur, Hackle brown, wings dun hackle tips.
Dub the thread with the dubbing, wrap the dubbing to the thorax 2/3 of the way up the hook. At this point tie in the wings back over the hook so that they extend beyond the end of the hook. wrap the hackle on and turn 3 or 4 turns of the hackle toward the eye and tie the hackle off and the head. Trim it all up. and it's finished, you can tie this fly in 10 minutes if your slow like me.
I've used this fly in 14 states and caught trout everywhere I've used it.

 

[afishinado]

Chaz wrote:
Here's the pattern Hook #18 dry fly hook, Thread Orange, dubbing hare line sulphur, Hackle brown, wings dun hackle tips.
Dub the thread with the dubbing, wrap the dubbing to the thorax 2/3 of the way up the hook. At this point tie in the wings back over the hook so that they extend beyond the end of the hook. wrap the hackle on and turn 3 or 4 turns of the hackle toward the eye and tie the hackle off and the head. Trim it all up. and it's finished, you can tie this fly in 10 minutes if your slow like me.
I've used this fly in 14 states and caught trout everywhere I've used it.

I've used the Chaz Special Cranefly ^ for a few years now and it is simple to tie, and it does really work (only 13 states, though).

I tie it in orangish, yellow and gray. I can't find a pic of the fly, unfortunately, but here's the bug it imitates:

 

[pcray1231]

I've had trout rising selectively to craneflies before. They can be important. But no, it's not considered a major hatch. Kind of like midges, I'd suppose. It happens. It can be worth pursuing trout feeding on them. But generally does not create the all out frenzy that a major mayfly hatch will, for instance. More in the "reliable, and will get a few fish working them" category.

I always see cranefly patterns at just about every fly shop. And suspect many use sulpher dun patterns with some success.

 

[SNJChef]

Fished a stream last year with no results, the guy I was fishing with put a crane on and nailed them. if anyone ties a good crane I would be interested in purchasing a dozen.

 

[JackM]

Chaz Cranefly w/wing:

Link To Old Swap Entry

 

[sandfly]

Picture is blurred to much but I would say not a crane fly. Maybe a type of wasp. Abdomen and head is not right for a cranefly.

Ichneumon Wasps;

 

[outsider]

echuck66,

We have the same insects at our cabin. I believe they are harmless to humans.

 

[crepuscular]

I'd agree with Sandfly. Ichneumonid wasp.