Sulphurs Starting Up?

Letort

Letort

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Stopped by a famous limestone stream in SC PA tonight. Didn't have rod with me, as I was running errands.

Saw a couple of sulphurs coming off at about 7:15 and one splashy rise to pick something off. I usually think of sulphurs in the 14-16 range, but what I saw tonight was probably 16-18 range.
 
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dryflyguy said:
Actually, they started on central PA streams several weeks ago now
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Yes, they started early this year. I saw a pretty good hatch in late April. And even then there were 16s mixed in the 14s. So, there were already plenty of 16s hatching, in late April.

The grannoms started very early also.
 
troutbert said:
Yes, they started early this year. I saw a pretty good hatch in late April. And even then there were 16s mixed in the 14s. So, there were already plenty of 16s hatching, in late April.

The grannoms started very early also.
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I too had a solid but not full swing hatch in April -on some streams. It was during that warm stretch (temps in high 70s/low 80s). I just checked my pics. the first day I saw a fishable hatch was April 22nd- no kidding. This was on one of the earliest streams in my area- not telling. However, a week of cold weather slowed them down. They really did not "get going" until a week ago. This year I experienced more times than in years past when bugs were hatching but the fish weren't rising much.
Grannoms were early on some streams, but normal on others. I am amazed, but understand, how streams within 20 miles of each other can vary by up to tens in the timing of emergences.
 
Had a great night with sulfur emergers last night - not many bugs in the air but enough to get the fish interested I guess.
 
Lehigh "Sulphurs" started solid, early last week. I label any yellow mayfly a sulphur. Doesn't matter if it is a size 14 or 22.
 
Bamboozle said:
More like refusals where I fish...
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And that's why you need some in 14's. 🙂

Seriously though the difference in fish pickiness on 14 vs 16 size Sulphers single handedly made me fall in love with Big Fishing creek years ago. Tons of fish feeding but rejections galore on a dozen different shades and styles of sulphers in 16. fish them in a size 14 and it was money!
 
I'm in mid-state PA and saw a decent, fishable hatch in late April. One of the "regulars: who seem to be on the stream every day, told me they had already been hatching for "a couple weeks." I don't know an exact date, but that would put it close to mid-April.

When did they start in SE and SC PA? There are plenty of limestone streams in SE and SC. And the climate is warmer there than in mid-state PA because it's further south and lower elevation. So you'd expect them to hatch even earlier there.
 
Where I fish in Mifflin County, the sulphurs began emerging the first week in May (last week). They were not evident the last week in April. Grannoms were still around then. I had some success this afternoon with soft hackles during a very sparse hatch. Weather was unsettled, thunderstorms in the area. Water temperature 55f.
IMG_2272.jpeg
 
SBecker said:
Lehigh "Sulphurs" started solid, early last week. I label any yellow mayfly a sulphur. Doesn't matter if it is a size 14 or 22.
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Me too. If it's yellowish or orangish, I just call them a sulphur and tie on a yellowish or orangish bug.
 
Heck yeah! Way back in the day (early 1980’s) I used to fish a light cahill because light colored mayflies to me were a light Cahill. I honestly didn’t even know what a sulphur was. 😉
 
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