Troutnut Forum > Fly Hatch Talk > Anyone have hellgrammite experiences to share?, Page 3
This topic is about the Insect Family Corydalidae
Hellgrammites are the vicious larvae of the Dobsonflies, some of the only trout stream insects which pose a biting threat to the angler. The pincers of the adult are even more frightening that the larva's, and they're aggressive enough to use them once in a while.
This family's life cycle does not create good dry fly opportunities, but the larvae may be eaten by trout year-round. They are a secret told only by stomach samples of well-fed trout. Read more...
There are 6 more specimens...
The Discussion
| Serotonin | March 30th, 2007, 9:35 pm | |
| Posts: 6 | Thanks. | |
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| Jlh42581 | April 10th, 2007, 5:26 pm | |
| Milesburg, Pa Posts: 24 | The river I saw this in was the Juniata. Now it freezes in the winter, could that have been why they were under the rocks on the bank. Ive fished with hellgramites since a kid so im about 99% sure thats what these were. | |
| Jeremy | ||
| GONZO | April 10th, 2007, 7:31 pm | |
| "Bear Swamp," PA Posts: 952 | I'm at a loss to explain it, Jeremy. I suppose that a rapid fluctuation in water level might have stranded some, but I just don't know. | |
| GONZO | July 1st, 2007, 3:46 pm | |
| "Bear Swamp," PA Posts: 952 | I just wanted to pick up this old thread again to add some information that explains Jeremy's observation about hellgrammites wintering under riverside rocks. I came upon this in one of those Audubon guides in the section on Corydalus cornutus: "After 2 or 3 growing seasons, they crawl out of the water and prepare pupal cells under stones or logs where they overwinter [my emphasis]." Jeremy, I never doubted your observation, but I was at a loss to explain it until now. Thanks for the food for thought! | |
| IEatimago | July 1st, 2007, 9:32 pm | |
| Spring Mills, PA Posts: 99 | not for nothing, but i got pinched by a dobbins fly last week while placing it in a collecting jar, | |
| Zach19 | July 13th, 2007, 2:44 pm | |
| Posts: 1 | Anybody know how these hellgrammites can live underwater so long then when me and my dad catch them for bait...can keep them for up to a week or so and still be alive? Am i the only one who finds that odd? Also, these are absolutely by far the best smallmouth bass bait i have ever used. My dad just recently caught a 4.5 lb. bass on one, and we live in Wisconsin. Though they can be a pain in the you know what to catch...me, my brother and my dad can catch up to 50 or so each time we go out, which is about maybe 5 times a year if that. We have an excellent place to go under a bridge where there are a lot of rocks, prime place to catch hellgrammites. These things look so pre-historic, and it still wows me how much those pinchers can hurt. Is it true that these are also great for trout? Any information from anybody who has used these hellgrammites for any other kind of fish i would really appreciate. | |
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