And anything else annoying…..
I’ve been around big water long enough but… the fish fly hatch here in the NE corner is bad this year. Worse than it has been in 7-8 yrs. wondering what factors play into this? Wind? Temps? And what is the typical distance between this hatch and the next (mayflies?)?
Oh….. and it seems to be a banner year for spring pollen and a cornocopia of other bugs. Normally I love June for fishing… but this year kinda sucks so far..
We were at the cabin a week ago and could hardly stand to be outside due to the buffalo gnats. Vanilla, sprays with 40% deet, and liquid repellant with 100% deet did little to deter them.
We don’t see the Fish Fly or May Fly hatches where we are at but I really don’t need them either as the gnats are a good plenty to deal with.
Yeah Tom, gnats are nasty too. I still clearly remember getting attacked by swarms of gnats on a hike in lake up by the boundary waters. Crazy thing was they were focused on me and didn’t bother my buddy much and I ended up getting welts all over my body.
Back to the fish flies here… they were still really bad on Friday but then we got an east wind so got relief Saturday here on the east side.
Bug hatches can be directly related to the moon phase and/or available light. Water temperature can be a control factor as well. Perhaps there’s a chronological factor? I’m not sure if factors involving water quality come into play or if fluctuations in elements that make the water more nutrient rich can be factors. I know on the Mississippi River some years have so-so hatches and others are so bad for flies that road equipment is used to clear streets and highway sections.
I was out yesterday with no wind and no bugs in the center, and north west corner.
I was out yesterday with no wind and no bugs in the center, and north west corner.
Once they hatch most all head to shore.
I’ve been around big water long enough but… the fish fly hatch here in the NE corner is bad this year. Worse than it has been in 7-8 yrs. wondering what factors play into this? Wind? Temps? And what is the typical distance between this hatch and the next (mayflies?)?
Lindy, perhaps it was a matter of timing when you were there the past years but the hatch last week and the week before were maybe just average. I’ve seen much worse.
There were 2 from my observation. First were smaller midges and after 3 days they were gone followed by a day or two being gone but then followed by another hatch larger.
Expect several hatches throughout the coming months and mayflies could be more or less of a hatch.
There’s likely a science and a number of factors that need to align for when the hatches occur, but the varying conditions which can change daily makes it mostly an unknown for us annoyed humans.
It’s kind of like predicting ice out, you might narrow it down…but daily changing conditions can move it forward or backward by weeks.
Andy, I thought the same thing. Likely my perspective, but that’s why I wanted some others input.
It does seem that wind is a deciding factor. I can remember several years not so bad in the NE corner, and then driving around the lake to the north, towards Garrison, and hitting huge swarms. I guess this was our year to take the brunt.
Lastly, the ankle biting flies came out today….. which seem to follow a fish fly or may fly hatch. It was so bad my dog was covered in them and had to put her away after just a few minutes by the water. Sigh….
We currently have an influx of army worms down here in Cove Bay. They drop from the trees like rain drops. The cabin exterior and deck are alive!
We currently have an influx of army worms down here in Cove Bay. They drop from the trees like rain drops. The cabin exterior and deck are alive!
I am near Liberty Beach and the armyworms were out in force.
As far as mayflies though, this one was mild for me. I do agree that which way the wind is blowing is the major factor.
Lastly, the ankle biting flies came out today….. which seem to follow a fish fly or may fly hatch. It was so bad my dog was covered in them and had to put her away after just a few minutes by the water. Sigh….
Those damn biting flies are far worse than any and all fish fly/mayfly hatches, which are more just nuisance and messy.
Them biting enemies are relentless and ruin an otherwise perfect day. For the most part I have an immunity having a second level deck which they don’t find their way up there, but any gatherings we try down in the grass lakeside becomes mostly intolerable. 
We currently have an influx of army worms down here in Cove Bay. They drop from the trees like rain drops. The cabin exterior and deck are alive!
I don’t seem to have this problem as much where I’m at. Is there a certain kind of tree that they seem to fall from?
Or is it most any tree?
Basswood, Popple, and Birch it seems.
Oaks a little & never from Pines, Balsam, Tamarack.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
