Biology Friday - Mayfly Madness

Cool video from NatGeo Wild.  I'm heading up to Freezout Lake to hopefully have some snow geese madness.  Stay tuned for a report and some pics on that,  Like I said, March Madness does not take place on your TV!!

Biology Friday - "Mayfly Eggs Hatching a Minute After Being Laid"

This cool video from Stroud Water Research Center shows not only a mayfly laying it's eggs (I can't believe how many), but how quickly they hatch into tiny nymphs.  Freakin awesome!!  I had no idea.

Purple Haze Quigley Cripple

Purple Haze Quigley Cripple 

Hook:  Size 18 dry fly 

Thread:  Purple 8/0

Tail:  Saddle hackle fibers cut to the same length after you tie them in

Body:  Purple thread for small sizes; floss, dubbing, or 1x 370 Uni Stretch for larger sizes

Ribbing:  Black 6/0 thread

Thorax:  Build a little ball of black dubbing

Wing:  Fine deer hair (dyed green is shown)

Hackle:  Your nicest dry fly hackle in the appropriate size (green grizzly is shown)

Supposedly, this fly was developed when Bob Quigley realized that his Humpy became more effective after it had been chewed up by trout.  All I know is that this cripple pattern is, by far, the most effective dry fly pattern for mayflies I've ever used.  

I use the size and color scheme shown for BWO's but you can tie this thing in any size or color scheme to match any and all mayfly species from baetis to drakes.  You can also tie it really small for the larger midges we get on the lower stretches of the freestones. 

I can confidently say that the Quigley Cripple has caught me more fish than any other dry fly pattern out there.  Feed it to your local snotty, PHD trout today!

The Lightning Bug

Green Lightning Bug

Hook: 22-16 (18 1XL with bead is best) nymph hook
Thread: 8/0 green
Tail: Pheasant tail fibers
Body: Pearl tinsel
Thorax: Peacock or golden brown Ice Dub
Wing case:  Pearl tinsel
Bead: Anything but gold however, gold will work (silver is shown)

This is a great mayfly attractor fly for both tailwaters and freestones.  They are really easy to tie and make great droppers in dry/dropper setups.

On a side note, one thing that I love (and there's not many) about the Northeast and Midwest is the actual lightning bugs which put on mind blowing displays in the meadows and fields on those muggy summer nights. I had never seen a lightning bug in Montana until last summer.  Of all places, it was at Warm Springs downstream of the settling ponds.  At first, I though I was catching a reflection of a shiny fly someone had lost in the willows.  Then more appeared.  By full darkness, they were everywhere.  I still don't know what to think of this event.

Also, until I get in trouble, I'll match a song to the album cover I use for a backdrop.
 

Nymphing still key for all day sucsess on the Mo

The Missouri River is fishing great but it's a bit more work than normal.  There are some fish up on dries in the evening but it is not really worth the time.  Streamers were also weak the past couple of days due to the bright-ass sun.  The fish are really hot on small mayfly nymphs though.  Fish them deep in the sun, even in the afternoon.  I did better climbing around on the rip rap in the canyon today than floating through it.  I was fishing winter-like water and fishing it deep.  I caught some great fish and my biggest brown of the year so far.  Tomorrow looks like it may be the day for streamers!