Mayfly Hatch?

Has anyone seen signs or heard of any mayflies hatching along the upper Mississippi yet? Can any of the river rats remember a year where there essentially wasn’t a mayfly hatch (or very minimal)?

I’ve seen the big hatches hit P3 & P4 anywhere from the last week of June to the last week of July. I’m hoping to be on the water in the evening when the hatch is happening as a few years back the fishing was absolutely lights out. The days that follow can be awfully tough though (or at least in my experience).

Last Monday evening there was a very slight hatch starting. I was on the dam/dyke at the Hastings lock by lake Rebecca. It started good but never amounted to much.

I was walking through the warehouse at work last week, and had a Mayfly pass right in front of me. A Sulphur, about a size 14. I have no idea where he came from.

I’ve been down looking at P2 a few times over the last week and haven’t seen any sign of the big Hex Mayflies yet.

S.R.

You asked about the upper Mississippi, the hatch has occurred on Lake Winnie. It’s tough fishing right now.

We got totally hosed by an epic mayfly hatch in northern Ontario last week. Every morning, each square foot of water surface had 7-10 giant dead mayflies.

Needless to say the fishing sucked. Worst fishing I’ve ever had in Ontario at any time of year. Hard to get even enough for a good meal every night.

Grouse

Bottom end of Trenton Island and L&D 3 were having “soft” hatches from the 5th of July until this last Sunday. Didn’t see much on Monday or Tuesday.

It was spotty. I was missing my fly rod again when I kept seeing these mouths swallow flys of the surface in my back yard.

PS I think the hatch was in Mud Lake and not in the river around the Island.

Hi All! I’m David, a new member, but not new to Western WI. I live in River Falls and work in S. St. Paul. I’ve been looking fastidiously for signs of the Hex at work (a few light hatches so far) and in Prescott. Unfortunately, when I find mayflies I’m a day late. Unlike most fishermen, I want to fish the hatch, not avoid it. If someone could post here when they start hatching (or contact me directly, somehow?), I would be very appreciative!

Thanks everyone!

David

Hey David! Welcome to IDO!

I’m in River Falls daily and across from Red Wing most weekends.
Where are you looking for the hatch? Prescott or River Falls (Kinni)?

Hows this hatch photo from L&D #3 that’s a few years old.

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Brian Klawitter wrote:

Hey David! Welcome to IDO!

I’m in River Falls daily and across from Red Wing most weekends.
Where are you looking for the hatch? Prescott or River Falls (Kinni)?

Hello Brian! I would be looking to fish the Mississippi, probably down by you, or the St. Croix, possibly at the Kinni State Park. I don’t have good info on the Hex mayfly hatch on the St. Croix, so I might just hope to hit the hatch on the Mississippi. I will fish with a fly rod at night hoping to get some dry fly action. I can wade or bring an light canoe.

This thread has been very helpful as it appears that the hatch is not yet done. Do you think there will be a hatch tonight? This weekend? I’ll keep close tabs on this thread and can get down to Trenton Island in about 30-60 minutes.

Thanks again,

David

I could tell you better tomorrow night but if you can’t wait for me, (and I wouldn’t) go to the back side of Trenton Island, in Mud Lake with your canoe and your waders. The trees were full at the beginning of the week and I was watching the mouths of fish snatch them off the water. White Bass or Crappies I’m guessing by the size of the mouth.

Once you get to the tree line which is still flooded, hop out of the canoe and wade around. You’ll have to roll cast because the ones I saw were in the trees.

I’m bringing down my short 4 weight just in case on Friday.

From the limited research I’ve done, the hatch correlates most strongly with water temperature patterns over an entire season (and not just surface temps). In order to get the big overwhelming hatches, a calm night and day prior are best. Some years hatches are far more spread out.

With the probable storms tonight, I’m guessing there won’t be a hatch. I’ll take a random stab and say a major hatch for P4 will be coming Saturday night. Board your windows, hide your kids and wives, it’s going to be treacherous.

I’ll be out near Lake City with fingers crossed that a hatch keeps the tuna boats, drunks, and migratory boaters off the water!

Higher water years equal a more drawn-out hatch.Lower water produces those massive all at once hatches.
Pools 6/7 should have one this weekend,almost a definite during catfish days.

Interesting that we have not seen a major hatch of the big mayflies on Mille Lacs yet this year.

-J.

tuesday i seen a pile of them under the lite when i was at the harbor for lunch. it wasnt huge but you could definetely tell what they were…….thats when i wsasnt busy looking at this one particular car!!!!!!!!

Thanks everyone for their replies. I didn’t make it out to the Mississippi tonight due to the storms. But I might find my way out there tomorrow.

David

glenn57 wrote:

busy looking at this one particular car!

Mustangs have awesome headlights.

BTW when I crossed the I-94/Hudson bridge around 2:30 today, there were some mayflies that stuck to my windshield.

Very curious to what strong bite correlates with these hatches?

Been out in some nasty ones last couple years on the river and all I have gotten is the need to vacuum out the boat right away. Those things stink after rotting in the boat in garage on a summer day, blah! Catfish bite has always been dead for me on those nights, always.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn57 wrote:</div>
busy looking at this one particular car!

Mustangs have awesome headlights.

oh yes they do!!

It’s likely to be the best time to catch a walleye close to shore with a fly rod. Not that I’ve ever tried it but that’s what I was told by the owner of Bright Waters fly fishing shop about under the Hudson bridge.

I work at the Sportsmans guide retail across from the 494 launch. Had them all over the front of the building last week.

Has anyone seen any Hex hatching tonight down by Red Wing?

Thanks! David

From mud lake yesterday.

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The Bluff’s reported they were keeping the outside lights off last night and an employee reported the bridge over the back channel was “getting pretty bad”.

Thanks, Brian! I’m going out tonight in the canoe. I hope the Hex are still hatching tonight (they will right?). If you see me and my buddy out in a canoe, say hi.

Saw some this morning still from Lake City to Wabasha. It was a decent hatch, but not the coating of all surfaces type.

At sun up this morning the fishing was phenomenal with some still flying around…and by 10am the bite was poor with mayflies floating everywhere.

Plenty down on pools 8 and 9 the past couple days

We’ve had a few hatches down here already. Not huge ones, but hatches.