Has anyone ran into a hatch yet this year? I will be going to gabbro/bald eagle area June 16th-23rd and am hoping to dodge it. I've fished in a couple of mayfly hatches that have screwed up the fishing pretty bad.. Let me know, thanks!

I think they are predicitng the hatch for exactly those dates :-)

I just got back from a trip up the Gunflint. Hexagenias (I think) were all over the place, but I can't say whether it hurt the fishing or not. Unfortunately we were wind bound most of our trip so fishing was tough, however, we did have success with topwater brookies.

RM

Mayflies were hatching last week on Cherokee and up into Tuscarora. Lake trout bellies were full of them.

quote hooky: "Mayflies were hatching last week on Cherokee and up into Tuscarora. Lake trout bellies were full of them."

Anyone know how long this typically lasts?

quote hooky: "Mayflies were hatching last week on Cherokee and up into Tuscarora. Lake trout bellies were full of them."

Anyone know how long this typically lasts?

We ran into a massive mayfly hatch my last trip to the BWCA. Fishing was tough for a day or so. However, we did do well the next day and I believe it was because we located the area were the mayflies were emerging over dark, muddy bottoms. We literally caught walleye after walleye on leeches and slip bobbers in the middle of the day (10 am to 3pm) to the point it was almost a crime scene. Jigs tipped with live bait or plastics will also work. The next day we returned to the same spot and the smallmouth had moved in addition to large pike. Undoubtedly there were probably smaller baitfish in the area keying on the mayflies also attracting these predators. Fishing was almost as good as the day before but still better than a normal day.

If you are seeing lots of mayfly casings on the surface of the water I would seek out the closest shoreline with a dark bottom and start your attack there. Paddle into the direction the wind is out of as it is blowing the casings across the lake until you find the soft bottom condition the mayflies could be emerging from. Chances are there is something significant going on below! If you are able to find where the hatch is happening the feeding will be intense and even though they are they for the mayflies they won't look away from anything else that is enticing. Remember they are wanting to eat the "biggest bang for their buck" while exerting the least amount of energy as possible.

I'm heading in this Friday and this will be my method of attack if a mayfly hatch takes place on the lake we are on at the time.

I guess that's irony when you talk about a hex hatch messing up the fishing?

There are a few places out here in California where the hex hatch is the topwater fishing event of the year. The good/great surface fishing only lasts for about 30-45 minutes around nightfall, but stripping nymphs during the day gets them too (mostly rainbow trout).

quote Gillcommander: "We ran into a massive mayfly hatch my last trip to the BWCA. Fishing was tough for a day or so. However, we did do well the next day and I believe it was because we located the area were the mayflies were emerging over dark, muddy bottoms. We literally caught walleye after walleye on leeches and slip bobbers in the middle of the day (10 am to 3pm) to the point it was almost a crime scene. Jigs tipped with live bait or plastics will also work. The next day we returned to the same spot and the smallmouth had moved in addition to large pike. Undoubtedly there were probably smaller baitfish in the area keying on the mayflies also attracting these predators. Fishing was almost as good as the day before but still better than a normal day.


If you are seeing lots of mayfly casings on the surface of the water I would seek out the closest shoreline with a dark bottom and start your attack there. Paddle into the direction the wind is out of as it is blowing the casings across the lake until you find the soft bottom condition the mayflies could be emerging from. Chances are there is something significant going on below! If you are able to find where the hatch is happening the feeding will be intense and even though they are they for the mayflies they won't look away from anything else that is enticing. Remember they are wanting to eat the "biggest bang for their buck" while exerting the least amount of energy as possible.


I'm heading in this Friday and this will be my method of attack if a mayfly hatch takes place on the lake we are on at the time."

Just great advice !!

Thanks for the advice everyone!! I guess if there is a hatch, I will just have to adapt my fishing to it.

One of the places we always remember on a lake is where we dig up mud( trolling), especially if it is the mouth of a cove. The insects hatch from the mud, and sometime during the day predator fish will visit. Maybe they are eating the bugs(throw 3 in. Black grubs) or th y are eating the little fish that are eating the grubs(5inch white grubs)....sometime during the day, the bite will be right there.

Great post gillcommander

quote bassnet: "One of the places we always remember on a lake is where we dig up mud( trolling), especially if it is the mouth of a cove. The insects hatch from the mud, and sometime during the day predator fish will visit. Maybe they are eating the bugs(throw 3 in. Black grubs) or th y are eating the little fish that are eating the grubs(5inch white grubs)....sometime during the day, the bite will be right there."

Good info from you as always !

Just returned from 12 days in Quetico, didn't see any.