Insect Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)

I went to the entomology library today and photocopied the 1985 paper that first described this curious species. I've updated the culacantha page with this information.

Paul wrote in another topic:

Yes, the Paraleps can come about the same time as the tricaudatus, but don't start as early I think. And I think they were a mid-morning deal where tricaudatus has more of an afternoon peak. (Here in the rockies we're not supoosed to don't have the early P adoptiva, although last spring I found a single youngish nymph that my key would only take it to adoptiva -by gills if I remember right. Wish I'd pickled it and had it properly ID'd.

Anyway, back east I found the Paraleps emerged from slower currents and siltier substrates -often along stream edges. Whereas tricaudatus spilled out of the riffles. They could mix of course in certain places, but one could find one predominant if you wanted to (and I did bc I wanted to know each better), by focusing on key habitat.

Fly patterns could be identical really, although I had my own, esp for the nymphs. In fact, I'm still using some P adoptiva mimic parachutes (more a dun gray) during Baetis activity.

I largely agree, though they seem to be more tolerant of current than most genera of leptophlebiids. I have sampled them from riffles. In my experience (with an admitted western bias), they are far more important in the Fall. If an angler is lucky enough to be in place (and aware of them) when they are schooled up in preparation for hatching, some memorable nymphing can take place! :)

P. adoptiva is an eastern species. By far the most important species in the West is P. debilis, though they can be found mixed with others, particularly the unusual tusk bearing species bicornuta and in some locales packii. Anglers that occasionally come across these tuskers often confuse them with the immature burrowing ephemerids they resemble. Many anglers use their standard nymphs and do just fine with them. The PT is a popular pattern. Sometimes, a nymph that more accurately suggests their silhouette is the ticket. Because of their build and very obvious gills, they look more like a small long-tailed burrower than they do the typical baetid or ephemerellid, and it is good for the angler to keep this in mind.

Most duns and spinners are typically a rich brown, hence the name "Mahogany Dun." They can run the gamut from gray to almost black though, depending on the location. The slender bodies and coloration of the duns lead to them often being mistaken for baetids, but the oval vertically held hind wings and three tails make them easy to distinguish from that family. Check out this link to the hatch page for a look at the natural dun.
http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/752/Mayfly-Paraleptophlebia-debilis-Mahogany-Dun

Below are a couple of patterns I find very useful when this critter is about.

Mahogany Dun Nymph #16

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Mahogany Paradun #16

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The following is from an older post of Gonzo's.

It's been my suspicion for quite some time that a good part of the credit given to dorothea for creating the later, lighter-colored "little sulphur" hatch should probably go to the same species (or species complex) that creates the earlier, larger, darker hatch--E. invaria. Many anglers who fish the small suphurs on valley limestone streams in my home state believe (or have been led to believe) that they are fishing the dorothea hatch. Close inspection of the mayfly that causes the activity usually doesn't bear that out. Most of the true dorothea hatches seem to come from mountainous areas where the streams are faster and have rockier bottoms.

All of the specimens in this section are from PA, and this seems to provide a good case in point. This specimen and the nymph (#766) are good examples of dorothea, and they both came from sections of the Brodheads in the Poconos. The other specimens came from big limestoners and appear to be invaria. Notice that all of the dun and spinner specimens, except for this one, have banded tails (dark markings at the segments). As far as I know, this is not characteristic of the Eastern version of dorothea (E. dorothea dorothea), but it is a trait of invaria.

I've often speculated the same thing as I've seen examples of eastern invaria that look virtually identical to some of infrequens out West. Compare the specimen I posted http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/1013 to this one of Spence's http://www.troutnut.com/im_user_ident/picture_219_large.jpg Any thoughts guys?

Often the first fishing for bug-eaters I do every year is the early Baetis activity. Then…the Baetid activity just continues through the year on virtually all the waters I fish. This is probably so for you all too.

I often fish a Baetid dry ahead of a Baetid nymph, since individual fish could be targeting either. I fish the #18 or #20 nymph on a short (~18-24”) length of 7x to the bend of the hook of a #16 Parachute or Sparkle Dun dry. A tiny daub of tungsten putty helps the short fine dropper break the surface film, as it’s critical to have the dropper line as straight as possible as soon as possible so I can detect every take. I use this combination all year and it's even a smart prospecting rig on waters calm enough to see the small dry.

For my bread-n-butter recipes I can be a pretty lazy tier, so I want as close to an instant tie as I can get. The following are two ~4 minute recipes:

Parafilm Baetid:
This pattern uses a single section of mallard flank barbs (tinted ahead of time with a swipe of a permanent marker) for both the tail and the legs, using the tips for the tail and the butts for the legs. Parafilm (laboratory thermo-plastic film) is used for the body, and tinted with permanent markers. The Parafilm body makes the fly sink a little quicker than dubbed ones, esp with a heavy iron (like the 3906 in this pic).

It’s important to me to have the fly drift correctly in the water, not flip upside down. So it needs an ample tail to right the hook when it’s tethered, and the heavier the hook wire, the more tail is needed. Also, with the Parafilm body it helps to adjust the legs with thread so they angle upwards, so the buoyancy they offer is above the central plane of the fly. I take the most time on this fly with the legs so they are equal on each side in number, length, thickness, and orientation. No need to be anatomically correct so two legs to a side is enough to suggest legs. I suspect the upside down or rolling flies affect my catch rate, as I’ve had repeated refusals to such flies and then made good by tying on a fresh one.


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(Yeah, I know there are 4 legs on the left side -I snipped off #3 after I noticed.)


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Baetid #2:
The second pattern is similar to a combination of the “WD40” and "Kimball's Emerger", except that it doesn’t bother with the wingcase. The wingcase is suggested with permanent markers: a spot of dark brown behind the head, and two black wing-buds. Again the tinted duck flank for tail and legs, then olive thread for the abdomen, a pale pinkish-golden dubbing for the thorax. Legs equal again, but not so critical that they ride well above the central (dorsal/ventral) plane, as the dubbing adds some buoyancy. The legs should not hang below the plane or the fly will likely ride upside down.


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{EDIT}: Just noticed this fly has the wingcase, but I usually just omit it.

I tie a few others too, but these cover the dropper nymph deal pretty well for me.

What Baetid nymph patterns do you rely on?

Rosenbauers rabbit foot emerger on vimeo