dr_feelgood Posted July 3, 2009 Report Share Posted July 3, 2009 While trying to look busy at work today, I noticed a bunch of small dark birds with brown bodies and a forked tail swarming one of our light poles. As I walk closer, I notice the ground "moving". I have never seen these here before. It was fun watching the birds hit these things while flying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik.T. Posted July 3, 2009 Report Share Posted July 3, 2009 Can you use them as bait? Thats pretty cool I have never seen that before. Also were the birds swallows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave524 Posted July 3, 2009 Report Share Posted July 3, 2009 Those are the Hexagenia Mayfly. They are very prolific at times on Lake Erie. I lived at Port Rowan for a while in the 70's, remember they were so heavy once that at Port Dover they had to have the fire dept wash down the hill with the pumper truck cause vehicles could not get up, they were that thick on the road. Its been rumoured that pickerel fishing is not very good while they are hatching as the pickerel gourge themselves on the mayflies and shun other baits. EDIT: check this link, guess prolific is an understatement at times http://www.cirrusimage.com/ephemeroptera_mayflies.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave524 Posted July 3, 2009 Report Share Posted July 3, 2009 Curiously the mayfly moults once after it has wings, it is or is one of the few insects to do that, If you look at the pictures you will see that some of the insects are grey and some are yellowish, I suspect the gray ones would be the empty skins after moulting and the yellow ones are the freshly moulted insects who will return later to the water to lay their eggs and die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammercarp Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 Great pictures. What you are seeing are "duns" that is the big fat yellowish ones. These are immature mayflies. The dark smaller bodied ones are spinners, the adult or final winged phase. The grey ones are the husks or cast off skins. I have seen hatches so big that the pick-up truck I was in, skidded on them. One of natures spectacles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 How many were in that flock doc ? They would make great fish food for certain aquariums & you could freeze a bunch for later . They should be great for fishing pannies on a float with a tiny thin wire hook , maybe a #14 treble would work fine .But you will need to be quick on the draw , the fly would be gone on the first bite ! I should grab a bunch ( get me a pound or two doc) and I think they would work great ice fishing for perch etc.! (like a maggot) Dave524 ....thanks for the site ....in my favs now ! I checked out a few more insects & the photos are great ! Here is a scary creature that bites !!! It's another import from China that hitched a ride on a ....jet ski these things give me the creeps.....but they should be good for musky...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave524 Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 here is a time lapse of the moult from a dun to an spinner, little different species of mayfly but quite similar, this is what was happening on the wall. http://www.troutnut.com/article/10/picture...ting-to-spinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammercarp Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 Can you use them as bait? Thats pretty cool I have never seen that before. Also were the birds swallows? Eric Many of dry flies that fly fishers tie are made to imitate or represent these insects. Smerchly I would to get hold of about 5 lbs of them. I would dry them and grind them up. Then add them to my carp bait. I think they would make a great attractent. They are not the only waterborn insects to show up in great numbers. I have seen caddisflies in the air that looked like a rain storm in the distance and midges that look like smoke in the air above trees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik.T. Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 Eric Many of dry flies that fly fishers tie are made to imitate or represent these insects. Smerchly I would to get hold of about 5 lbs of them. I would dry them and grind them up. Then add them to my carp bait. I think they would make a great attractent. They are not the only waterborn insects to show up in great numbers. I have seen caddisflies in the air that looked like a rain storm in the distance and midges that look like smoke in the air above trees. I know about the flies I just though it looked like you could feed a small trout hook through the body. They would probably make good carp bait though Hammercarp's Mayfly Paste........................Coming to stores near you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Andrews Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 You can see the midgfly clouds over the trees right now along the parkway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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