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smallieFanatic

Could someone ID this mayfly for me

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Hi all I found this little bugger and took some pictures of him. I am thinking Black Quill but I'd like a second opinion.

Thanks for the help in advance.

 

 

 

 

 

Jan

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post-17709-1246777111_thumb.jpg

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Jan

 

The colouration is about right for a Black Quill (Leptophlebia) and they should be emerging now in most parts. It would be most helpful if we knew the size (from tip of head to end of abdomen.) Were hind wings present?

 

If you have a specimen handy you might try keying it out using the following link:

 

http://www.fishermonk.com/pl/2q_inse.pl

 

If the wings are clear you want to click on the imago (spinner) box. The rest is pretty straightforward. Reading the descriptions of the top hits should help you ID this bug. Good luck.

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Thanks for the help!

 

Its about 4 millimeters from tip of head to end of abdomen. There were no hind wings.

 

 

Jan

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Jan-

 

What you have is a Tricorthodes explicatus male dun. It was previously classified as T. minutus.

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Jan

 

Although I think Tricos emerge a bit later in most locales, everything suggest this is a Tricorythodes minutus spinner. The size (4mm), absence of hind wings, robust thorax and general colouration are all consistent with a Trico spinner.

 

The Black Quill (Leptophlebia cupida) is much larger (10-12 mm) and is not (or rarely) found in the west.

 

 

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Taxon

 

Do you say this is a dun because of the tail length or its wing colour? Or something else?

 

I wasn't aware of the name change. Can you give me a reference?

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rockworm-

 

Mayfly spinners have hyaline wings. As best I can tell from the photos, this one does not. However, making that determination from a photo can be extremely difficult.

 

With regard to N. American mayfly taxonomy, the most reliable and up-to-date source is the Master Species List maintained on Dr. McCafferty's Mayfly Central website.

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Jan

 

I hope you have some good patterns. The Tricos are a very important, if underappreciated, group of mayflies. Having the right patterns to match the various stages of the hatch can make a huge difference in your success rate.

 

Taxon

 

Indeed- it is very difficult to judge colours from a photo: I was almost certain those wings were hyaline. That's why I suggested Jan examine his specimen to key it out. Thanks very much for the reference.

 

 

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I hope you have some good patterns. The Tricos are a very important, if underappreciated, group of mayflies. Having the right patterns to match the various stages of the hatch can make a huge difference in your success rate.

 

I don't have any patterns imitating the tricos, I will have to do some web searching for patterns.

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A size 18 to 24 comparadun with a black thread body or very thinly dubbed body works quite well. I've even gotten away with a sparkle dun but they quickly pass through that stage.

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Jan

 

Here is a good spinner pattern

http://www.flyfishingconnection.com/patter...5/Trico+Spinner.

Some organza from a fabric store is a cheap alternative for these wings.

 

 

For my dun? patterns I use a small CDC wing upright. I do the jennies (females) with a gray quill body. I usually do better with the jennies than the males. On the duns I use smaller tails (a few hackle barbs) rather than the long micro fibbets. the tails are considerably longer on the spinners.

 

 

I just heard mention of a double trico spinner tied on a larger than traditional trico hook made to look like two tricos stuck together in film. I havent seen a picture but I will be tying tricos soon and have a few ideas to accomplish this.

 

I love the Trico hatch.

 

since my camera would never capture the #26 tricos, I can send you a few different variants I tie and a big hunk of organza. The square yard my wife picked up last summer could supply all 20K+ members on the site. PM me to arrange

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HI Jan, Now do you wonder why nearly everyone ties tricos with black bodies and white wings, just makes you pay attention more to real insects.

 

Cheers, Jeff.

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It looks a lot like the trico that we get here in Minipi. Thankfully I have never chased the fish on these in the lake. That would be a nightmare to try to get a big brook trout on such a small fly!

I know some people that fish the spinner falls in other places and use a spinner pattern similar to the one listed. Although instead of one clump tied in for the wing it's 3 small clumps tied in along the shank. Gives the wings a slightly more realistic profile.

Tight lines!

Seumas

 

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