Solano Fly Fishers
Mayfly Life Cycle Pattern's
The Nymph
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Two possible options
 
Materials
 
The Nymph
Hook:
Thread:
Abdomen:
Thorax:
Rib:
Wing Buds & Back:
Mustad 3906B #12
10/0 Powersilk, orange
Amber/ cream Awesome Possum
Natural Awesome Possum
DNA (olive) Halo Fusion & Copper wire twisted
Pheasant Tail fibres
 
  Or The Pheasant Tail Nymph
Hook:
Thread:
Mustad 3906B #12
Copper wire & Pheasant tail fibres only
 


Hook:
Thread:
Shuck:
Abdomen:
Thorax:
Wing:
Emerger

TMC 103BL #13
10/0 Powersilk, orange
PT fibres & olive DNA Halo Fusion
PT fibres & olive DNA Halo Fusion twisted and wound
Natural Awesome Possum
White & Khaki CDC

The Emerger
 

The Dun


Hook:
Thread:
Tail:
Body:
Rib:
Post:
Thorax:
Hackle:
Dun

TMC 102Y #11
10/0 Powersilk, orange
Moose
Awesome Possum, amber/cream
6/0 brown silk
TMC Aerowing, white
Natural Awesome Possum
Silver Badger
 


Hook:
Thread:
Tail:
Body:
Rib:
Thorax:
Hackle:
Drowned Spinner

TMC 102Y #11
10/0 Powersilk, orange
Moose
Awesome Possum, amber/cream
6/0 brown silk
Natural Awesome Possum
Sunburst yellow hen / Coq de Leon hen (Olive) wound together

The Drowned Spinner (for sub-surface work)
Notes:

LIFE CYCLE OF THE MAYFLY (ORDER EPHEMEROPTERA)

Insects such as Mayflies, Stoneflies and Dragonflies that have part of their life cycle in the water provide a significant part of a trouts diet.

Far a Mayfly Life begins as an egg. Gestation period is only a few days and the hatched nymph is a miniature of the adult except for the wings and tail. The juvenile nymph instinctively heads for cover which depending on the insect in question may be weed beds, decaying vegetation, sand, gravel, stones or drowned timber. Some Mayfly nymphs are burrowers others are sedentary and yet others are free swimming. In any case they are all targets for hunting trout. After hatching the immature nymph goes through up to 30 instars or changes of skin before reaching its final instar or mature nymph stage. The nymphal stage lasts from a few months up to three years. The next stage is the hatch. This involves rising to the surface of the water, shedding its final nymphal skin (or shuck) as it breaks through the surface tension of the water so as to reveal its wings. Mayfly nymphs are particularly vulnerable as they rise to the surface and break through the surface tension of the water and often you will find trout moving around taking them just below the surface. The next stage in the life Cycle of the Mayfly involves the Mayfly resting on the surface tension of the water just long enough for its wings to dry. Again its very vulnerable at this sub-imago stage and it is common to find trout moving around sucking them through the surface or even breaking the surface of the water as they these sub-imago Mayflies. Often you will find that the timing of a hatch as alluded to above coincides with warmer evenings with little or no wind. These conditions allow the wings to dry quickly and there are no waves to drown the sub-imago.

The Mayfly spends its adult imago life of only a few days as a terrestrial insect and then returns to the water generally on mass to lay its eggs. The male fertilizes the female above the water and then the female lays its eggs either in the water or just above the water. During this stage the adult Mayfly is again vulnerable to trout. Whether a trout takes the female at this stage is largely irrelevant as this is the final stage in the life cycle of the male and female Mayfly and the spent adults litter the water surface where they become a smorgasbord for casual sipping trout.

It takes a short of time for the trout to key in on to the mayfly, so don't ignore the nymphs and emerger patterns. There are many, many options when it comes to patterns. These here are just a few examples to help guide you through each stage.

Olive DNA Halo Fusion Products can be found at  J Stockard Fly Fishing Co.

I use Krystal Flash in place of DNA. Krystal Flash is available at most local Fly Shops. Similar materials to Krystal Flash are easier to find.