Mayflies on Clair

[TCook]

When do the Mayflies start hatching on St Clair? Is the action best at the beginning of this or does it not matter? Does this occur all over the lake or are some areas best? Im thinking about making a trip when this bite is on, I never experienced it before. Thanks for any info

[River Rat]

To me it seems like you need to fish early before they fatten-up after a full day of gulping mayflies.  There was a hatch just a few days ago.  I've got something you can try out if you go.

Scott

[stackenem]

How long does the hatch go on? I seem to remember going down to Lake erie on the 5th of july back in the mid 90's and we just were covered with the little buggers. Is it the same way down there with the smallies? Back then we were fishing walleye.

[LennyB]

The flies just started coming out this past weekend. It has been my experience that the best bite happens when the flies get pushed into an area by the wind so they are not just everywhere. This draws the smallies into smaller areas. This weekend and next should see a lot of flies. A lot of fish are done spawning and biting very good know. My best trip this week produced 120 fish. Most were in the 2 to 3 pound range with a few 4s. 5 pound class fish have been hard to come by. These two pics are from Sunday's trip.

[fiker]

Went yesterday.  We didn't see any flies, but that's because of the wind direction I'm sure. 
Fishing was good though. 

Fish pretty much everywhere we went.

[Skulley]

When out fishing on St. Clair last Sunday June 5th, CSFishslayer and I did see some Mayflies up around Masonic.  During this time, Extreme Bass Tackles Mayfly tube seems to be the ticket.  I have had some good days on the water during the hatches.  There are 3 maybe 4 hatches.  Each hatch is different and the bugs are of different colors.  In other words, the color of the bugs on the first hatch are not the same as the colors on the second and even third hatches.  The hatches can last from mid-June to mid-July to sometimes the end of July.  Also note that the hatch starts up in the south end of the lake and then chronological hatches start to move north.  The first hatch on the mile roads can take place while the second hatch at the mouth of the Detroit River to the Grosse Pointes is going on.  That's probably why the hatches last as long as they do.  Anything else I think of that can help, I will post or modify this post.  There is a lot of info to absorb on the Mayfly hatch subject.  Some of my biggest fish that I have ever caught on LSC as been during the Mayfly hatches.


BD                                   

[djkimmel]

There does seem to be 3 sizes of Mayflies - the smaller black/brown ones, the mid-sized dark brown ones and then the great big ole whopper light brown/yellow ones that really crunch when you step on them!

[Skulley]

There does seem to be 3 sizes of Mayflies - the smaller black/brown ones, the mid-sized dark brown ones and then the great big ole whopper light brown/yellow ones that really crunch when you step on them!

I hate when the "whopper light brown/yellow ones that really crunch when you step on them" get all over the boat deck and you can't avoid stepping on them.  They get mashed in the carpet and you gotta then shampoo the carpet. 


BD                                 

[Eric]

I hear Cheetam got on a good fly bite one early July day.  Maybe he will share some details of that day for the rest of our benefit.

[Cheetam]

I hear Cheetam got on a good fly bite one early July day.  Maybe he will share some details of that day for the rest of our benefit.

I seem to remember someone else being there too...lol.  We followed the husk slicks around and the fish were under each and every one of them.  It was by far the best day I have ever had!  We were swinging 4-4.5 lbrs over the side of the boat like it was nothing.  "Got one!"  "Need a net?"  "Nope, it's just another 4 lbr..."   LOL It was awesome.  It didn't matter what we threw, we caught fish on it. To this day, I still think I could have thrown a hook on a spark plug and caught a 4 lbr.  Water depth didn't mean anything either.  If a slick was there, fish were there, too.  If you got away from the slick, you got away from the fish.

[Mojo]

 

Yeah...next big thing we hear about is that all new "mayfly rod" .....  designed to fly fish, surface pop and shallow crank or sum BS .......

[Reelin Realtor]

I was out Sunday late and some were hatching between Harley and Metro, got a piece of the shell from one of them lodged under my eyelid. Had to go to the eye doctor to get it out. She wondered what the heck it was and what I did for a living. When she looked under the microscope she said there was hair growing out of it whatever it was.

[djkimmel]

It was probably trying to mate with you!

[Eric]

Can you imagine a Dave sized mayfly?    Or millions of them? 

[djkimmel]

Can you imagine hitting one that size at 60mph?!?

[Skulley]

Can you imagine hitting one that size at 60mph?!?

That sure would be one heckuva mess to clean up.   


BD