Troutnut.com Fly Fishing for Trout Home
User Password
or register.

Slate Cream Duns

Scientific Names
MatchScientific Name
**Epeorus
*Epeorus albertae

Like most common names, "Slate Cream Dun" can refer to more than one taxon. They're previewed below, along with 3 specimens. For more detail click through to the scientific names.

Mayfly Genus Epeorus

These are sometimes called Slate Cream Duns.
There is remarkable variety of form and color within this prolific genus of fast-water mayflies. Different species are found across the country, and several cause good hatches. Fly anglers are likely to encounter the lesser species on occasion, too.

The best Epeorus hatch in the East is Epeorus pleuralis, the famous Quill Gordon, the first abundant large mayfly hatch of the year. Epeorus vitreus comes a little later and is important in both the East and Midwest.

In the West, Epeorus longimanus dominates in fast, high-altitude streams, while Epeorus albertae inhabits slower and lower waters.
Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly NymphEpeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly NymphView 4 PicturesThis Epeorus pluralis dun is recently deceased in these photos. I decided not to photograph several lively, less mature nymphs. This one was ready to hatch, as indicated by the black wing pads (
The wing pads on this final instar Baetidae mayfly nymph are extremely dark.
The wing pads on this final instar Baetidae mayfly nymph are extremely dark.
Wing pad: A protrusion from the thorax of an insect nymph which holds the developing wings. Black wing pads usually indicate that the nymph is nearly ready to emerge into an adult.
)
. I believe it had not been dead long enough to lose its natural coloration.
Region: Catskills
Collected Apr 19, 2006
Added Apr 22, 2006
Male Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly DunMale Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly DunView 9 PicturesI kept this specimen after photographing it and it molted into a spinner in perfect condition, which I photographed here.
Region: Northeast
Collected Apr 30, 2007
Added May 3, 2007
Male Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly SpinnerMale Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly SpinnerView 10 PicturesA few days earlier I photographed this same specimen as a dun. The changes between dun and spinner seem particularly dramatic in this species.
Region: Northeast
Collected Apr 30, 2007
Added May 3, 2007

Mayfly Species Epeorus albertae

These are very rarely called Slate Cream Duns.
This is one of the two most common Western species of Epeorus, and its spinner falls can be important.
Top 10 Hatches
Top 5 Products
Top 5 Specimens
Recent Updates
Last update July 19th, 2007.
Check out my friend & fishing partner Brad Bohen's Hayward Musky Guides website for fly fishing like you've never seen before! --Troutnut
Misc Websites