Sunday, March 24, 2013

Fifty-two Degrees

Hendrickson (c) 2012 HVI
It will happen; at some point this spring, the water temperature will reach 52. When this happens, trout will begin looking up. The first major mayfly hatch will be getting into action. Hendrickson nymphs (Ephemerella subvaria) will begin to emerge. The sky will be full of swarms of this mayfly over the riffles of your favorite trout stream. Birds and fish will get their fill. In 2012; there was a great hatch on the lower Shavers Fork on April 3. The date of emergence this year will be anyone's guess. There is a lot of warming up and allot of snow melt that needs to happen; before the Hendrickson hatch; this year. I'm betting that it will not happen until mid-April. Only your trusty stream thermometer will know for sure. They were hatching on Horseshoe Run on April 2 last year, also.Whether you are a fly-fisher or not, you should make the effort to go and see a big mayfly hatch. You will never forget the experience. The best way to predict when it will happen on your favorite section of water is to keep checking the water temperature. One day, when the magic number is reached in late-morning; the show will start. Try to be there.
(c) 2012 HVI

Posted by High Virginia Outdoors Photos by High Virginia Images (c) 2013 All Rights Reserved

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