The Dreaded Fly Hatch
By: Mark Romanack
The Giant Mayfly is a common food source for a wealth of fish species.
In this part of the world a specific insect hatch occurs that boggles the imagination. The annual mayfly hatch is something some anglers look forward to and others dread. While the Great Lakes region is home to over 100 different species of mayflies, it’s the largest species the Hexagenia limbata that gets all the attention. Commonly called the giant mayfly or fish fly, this species of mayfly can be found near lakes and slow moving streams.
Ironically, the best known species of mayfly does not hatch in May, but rather in June and early July. Hatches normally occur on calm nights and literally countless millions of these delicate insects burrow out of the lake or river bottom as a larva, swim to the surface and emerge as a winged adult.
The adults mate in flight then the female returns to the water surface to lay her eggs. After depositing her eggs, the mayfly dies and floats on the surface of the water. Meanwhile, the eggs sink back to the bottom where they will remain until next spring when they hatch. Once the eggs hatch into nymphs they burrow into the bottom where they will remain for approximately two years before the cycle repeats itself.
Anglers who target trout like this brook trout will find that during the annual mayfly hatch fishing can be exceptional. A huge percentage of the annual food intake of the brook trout centers on aquatic insects like the mayfly.
A wealth of fish species depend heavily on the mayfly hatch to provide a critically important protein source. Some species of fish actually root the nymphs right out of the mud, while others wait to feast until the adult nymphs emerge from the bottom and swim to the surface. Still other species eat the adult mayfly off the surface while they are emerging and also while the flies are laying their eggs. Even after the mayfly dies and floats on the surface, they become easy pickings for hungry fish.
Mayfly in their various stages make up the majority of the diet for many species of trout. Fly fishermen who target trout wait patiently for the mayfly hatch to take place as it sets the stage for some of the most exciting fishing action of the year.
Popular fly patterns that imitate the nymph stage (wiggler), the emerging adult stage (dun) and the dead or dying stage (spinner) are all used to fool trout.
While trout fishermen benefit greatly from the mayfly hatch, anglers who target other species are commonly saddled with very tough fishing conditions. Walleye anglers for example know that when the mayfly hatch is in full swing, fishing success is typically going to be very poor. It’s tough to get a walleye to bite conventional lures and baits when they are swimming around with a stomach that is literally stuffed full of mayfly larva.
Some species like walleye can become very difficult to catch during the mayfly hatch.
So some anglers swear by fishing during the mayfly hatch and others swear at these annual insect reproduction cycles. In the big picture, the fact that we have huge hatches of mayfly is a good thing. Mayfly are delicate insects that can only survive in waters that are pollution free and waters that feature an abundant supply of dissolved oxygen.
So the common mayfly is an important indicator of the quality of our environment. If you’re an avid trout fisherman, the fly hatch is something to behold. If you’re a walleye angler, the fly hatch is a good reason to take up trout fishing!
Alas, the mayfly hatch only lasts about two weeks. After the hatch, things in the world of fishing return to normal again. As they say, this too shall pass.
The Dreaded Fly Hatch - Mark Romanac - Mnyama anayeitwa Giant Mayfly ni chakula cha aina nyingi za samaki. Katika sehemu hii ya ulimwengu, wadudu fulani husababisha mlipuko ambao huvutia sana. Wavuvi fulani hutarajia kwa hamu na wengine huogopa kuangukia kwa nondo wa kila mwaka. Katika eneo la Maziwa Makuu kuna aina zaidi ya 100 za mayflies, lakini aina kubwa zaidi ni Hexagena limbatus. Aina hii ya nondo huonekana karibu na maziwa na vijito vinavyoenda polepole. Kwa kushangaza, aina inayojulikana zaidi ya nondo wa majira ya joto haichukui mayai, bali huchukuliwa mwezi wa Juni na mapema Julai. Kwa kawaida, wadudu hao huanguliwa usiku wakati wa baridi kali, na mamilioni yao hutoka kwenye ziwa au mto wakiwa mabuu, kisha huogelea hadi juu na kuibuka wakiwa watu wazima wenye mabawa. Wanyama hao wazima huoa huku wakiruka kisha mwanamke hurudi juu ya maji ili kuweka mayai yake. Baada ya kuweka mayai yake, nzi huyo hufa na kuelea juu ya maji. Wakati huohuo, mayai hayo hurudi chini ya maji ambapo yatarudi hadi majira ya kuchipua yajayo. Baada ya mayai hayo kuanguliwa, huingia chini ya maji na kukaa huko kwa miaka miwili hivi kabla ya mzunguko huo kurudia. Wavuvi wanaopenda kuvua samaki aina ya trout kama vile samaki huyu wa kijito watagundua kwamba wakati wa kuvua samaki aina ya mayfly hatch kila mwaka, samaki hao wanaweza kuvua samaki wa pekee sana. Asilimia kubwa ya chakula cha kila mwaka kinachotumiwa na trout wa kijito ni wadudu wa majini kama vile mayfly. Aina nyingi za samaki hutegemea sana chungu cha mayfly ili kupata chanzo muhimu cha protini. Baadhi ya samaki huondoa nyigu kwenye matope, huku wengine wakingoja nyigu wazima waondoke chini na kuogelea juu. Hata hivyo, aina nyingine hula nzi wazima wa majira ya kuchipua wakiwa juu ya uso wa bahari wanapokuwa wakizaliwa na pia wanapokuwa wakizaa mayai yao. Hata baada ya nondo huyo kufa na kuelea juu ya maji, wao huwa mawindo rahisi kwa samaki wenye njaa. Ndege aina ya Mayfly hufanyiza sehemu kubwa ya chakula cha spishi nyingi za samaki aina ya trout. Wavuvi wa samaki wa kuvuja kwa nzi wanangojea kwa subira kwa mayfly hatch kuchukua nafasi kama inaweka hatua kwa baadhi ya shughuli ya uvuvi ya kusisimua zaidi ya mwaka. Mifumo maarufu ya nzi inayoiga hatua ya nymph (wiggler), hatua ya watu wazima wanaojitokeza (dun) na hatua ya wafu au wanaokufa (spinner) zote hutumiwa kudanganya trout. Ingawa wavuvi wa samaki aina ya trout wananufaika sana kutokana na kufungia samaki aina ya mayfly, wavuvi wa samaki aina nyingine kwa kawaida wanakabiliwa na hali ngumu sana za uvuvi. Kwa mfano, wavuvi wa samaki wa aina ya walleye wanajua kwamba wakati wa kuvua samaki aina ya mayfly, kwa kawaida samaki hao hawafanikiwi. Ni vigumu kumfanya walleye achukue visingizio na visingizio vya kawaida anapokuwa akisafiri huku na huku akiwa na tumbo lililojaa mabuu ya nzi wa Mei. Aina fulani kama vile walleye zinaweza kuwa vigumu sana kuvua wakati wa kuzaliwa kwa mayfly. Kwa hiyo, wavuvi fulani huamini kwamba samaki hao huvuja wakati wa kuzaliwa kwa mayfly, na wengine huamini kwamba samaki hao huvuja wakati wa kuzaliwa kwa wadudu hao. Kwa ujumla, ukweli kwamba tuna hatches kubwa ya mayfly ni jambo zuri. Mayfly ni wadudu wa hali ya chini ambao wanaweza kuishi tu katika maji ambayo ni uchafuzi wa hewa na maji ambayo yana ugavi mwingi wa oksijeni iliyomalizika. Kwa hiyo, nzi wa kawaida ni kiashiria muhimu cha hali nzuri ya mazingira yetu. Ikiwa wewe ni mvuvi mwenye shauku ya samaki aina ya trout, mlango wa kuogelea ni kitu cha kutazamwa. Kama wewe ni mvuvi wa walleye, mlango wa kuruka ni sababu nzuri ya kuanza uvuvi wa trout! Kwa kusikitisha, chungu cha mayfly huendelea kwa majuma mawili tu. Baada ya kuanguliwa, mambo katika ulimwengu wa uvuvi hurudi kwa kawaida tena. Kama wanavyosema, jambo hili pia litapita.