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

Mayfly Species Siphlonurus quebecensis (Gray Drake)

Taxonomic Navigation -?-
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
» Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
» Class Insecta (Insects)
» Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
» Family Siphlonuridae (Gray Drakes)
» Genus Siphlonurus (Gray Drakes)
» Species quebecensis (Gray Drake)
Common Names
Pictures Below
This is the Siphlonurus species I have encountered most frequently on Eastern trout waters. I often find its spinners swarming in a mix with Siphlonurus alternatus, and I have read that Siphlonurus rapidus may join these groups as well.  

Where & When

Regions: East, Midwest
Time Of Year (?): Mid-May through late July

Spinner Behavior

Time Of Day: Dusk
Habitat: Riffles
I have had nothing but frustration when these spinners are over the water. They are present on almost every summer evening at certain riffles on a favorite river, usually in swarms large enough to tease the angler but too small to cause a good rise of trout. I have only seen the trout respond well to their fall once, maybe, in a freak series of hungry rises that ended faster than I could get in position to cast. Yet others have reported good fishing to this species on that very river, and they are even more popular to the East in Michigan.

They are large mayflies with the qualities trout enjoy, so pay close attention when you spot their swarms, but beware their reputation for disappointment.

7 Mayfly Specimens in the Species Siphlonurus quebecensis:

Specimen Page:12
Siphlonurus quebecensis (Gray Drake) Mayfly NymphSiphlonurus quebecensis (Gray Drake) Mayfly NymphView 9 Pictures
Region: Catskills
Collected May 13, 2007
Added May 18, 2007
Siphlonurus quebecensis (Gray Drake) Mayfly SpinnerSiphlonurus quebecensis (Gray Drake) Mayfly SpinnerView 10 Pictures
Region: Upper Midwest
Collected Jun 2, 2005
Added May 25, 2006
Siphlonurus quebecensis (Gray Drake) Mayfly SpinnerSiphlonurus quebecensis (Gray Drake) Mayfly SpinnerView 4 PicturesThis one had some trouble molting out of the dun stage, but I took pictures anyway.
Region: Upper Midwest
Collected May 18, 2004
Added Jan 25, 2006
Specimen Page:12

Your Thoughts On Siphlonurus quebecensis:

You must log in at the top of the page to post. If you haven't registered yet, it's this easy:

Username:     Email:

Password:    Confirm Password:

I am at least 13 years old and agree to the rules.
Top 10 Hatches
Top 5 Products
Top 5 Specimens
Recent Updates
Last update July 19th, 2007.
Misc. Websites