Go Fishing

 Go Fishing Home | Fishing Blog | More Fishing Articles | Fishing Directory | Site Map

Translate: English German Spanish French Italian Portuguese Russian Japanese Korean Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Dutch Greek


The Hendrickson Mayfly




Mayflies are essential to trout fly fishing. There are still ultra purists who consider casting dry mayfly patterns upstream to rising trout the ONLY form of fly fishing. I wasn't brought up that way and find that way of thinking too limiting. For one thing it would severely limit my time on the water, and would force me to get rid of about three-fourths of my beloved fly fishing gear. However, I must admit, there is a certain timeless quality to casting classic dry flies upstream to rising trout. And if that were available to me year round, well I might move to closer to ultra purist status.

One of the classic mayfly species is commonly called the Hendrickson. But it's Latin name is Ephemerella subvaria, and then there is the Light Hendrickson and it's Latin name Ephemerella invaria. But it doesn't stop there, there are several species that entomologists have identified. But we as fly fisher's have simplified that and lumped all these into Light Hendrickson and Dark Hendrickson.

How the Hendrickson mayfly received it's common name is a bit of fly fishing lore. As told by Roy Steenrod of Liberty, New York:

'"One day in 1916, while we were fishing the Beaverkill below the junction pool at Roscoe, a hatch of flies came on. We had never seen the fish rise so freely for any fly as they did for this hatch. I caught one of the flies and put it into my fly box, and after lunch that day at Ferdon's I tied some patterns of the fly as nearly as I could. We took fish with fly day in and day out, and for years it proved to be a killer and is so today. One day, while sitting on the bank of the stream perhaps two years after I had tied the first patterns, the matter was brought up as to which I would call or name the fly. Looking at A.E., the best friend a person could ever wish to have, I said, 'the fly is the Hendrickson.' I saw at once that A.E. was pleased.'

The Dark Hendricskon or the Ephemerella subvaria is one of, if not the first substantial hatch on many rivers every spring. When water temperature hits 50 degrees the fish begin seeing and keying on this mayfly. The males and females look very different, while the Dark Hendrickson pattern is a great imitation of the male, the Light Hendrickson is probably closer to the female. However, the classic pattern described above is the Dark Hendrickson, that worked so well all those years ago. And still does today.

The Light Hendrickson pattern is commonly used for two other mayfly hatches. The Ephemerella invaria can also be called Pale evening Dun or Sulphur and is commonly mistaken with the Ephemerella dorithea. But the invaria hatches first, often right after the subvaria or Dark Hendrickson. It is more robust than the later Pale Evening Dun or Sulphur patterns. For most fly angler's however, it is enough to remember Dark Hendrickson first then Light Hendrickson second. Once in a great while angler's will not have any luck on rising trout hitting the Dark Hendrickson, even though it is only the subvaria that is out. Perhaps the trout are keying only on females, for whatever reason switching to the Light Hendrickson seems to do the trick.

One other thing about the Light and Dark Hendrickson fly patterns. Is that they make great general all-purpose mayfly attractor patterns. Renowned fly fishing author Skip Morris, has proposed that only two mayfly patterns are required in one's arsenal a dark and light pattern. While most angler's wouldn't be comfortable with such a limited offering, these two patterns would complement each other just fine. The Dark Hendrickson is second only to the Adams as the most used all purpose mayfly attractor.

Let's also not forget the sub-surface version of these great trout mayflies. The common three patterns that cover the whole Hendrickson family of may flies are as follows. Of course there is the Hendrickson Nymph, which is a close cousin of the all-time great Mayfly nymph the Pheasant Tail.

The Hendrickson's, whichever Mayfly is on the water, are a versatile combination to have in your possession. They can be traced back to when affluent fly fisher's had their own tier's, and they are still used today. Classics never go out of style.

About The Author

Cameron Larsen is a retired commericial fly tier and fly fishing guide. He now operates The Big Y Fly Company - http://www.bigyflyco.com. He can be reached at info@bigyflyco.com.




MORE RESOURCES:

SFist

Brothers' fishing outing ends in death, but no charges filed
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 18 hours ago
The brothers had gone fishing Saturday, said Jimmy Lee, spokesman for the Sheriff's Department. Mark Greer's body was found about 7:30 am Sunday east of ...
No charges against brother of man found dead in Delta San Jose Mercury News
Brother of man found dead in Delta jailed San Jose Mercury News
all 99 news articles


Salmon fishing perks in rivers
Seattle Times, United States - 18 hours ago
Saltwater salmon fishing slows down, and now anglers are concentrating their time in the estuaries, bays and lower rivers where chinook and coho are staging ...
The 10 top recreational fishing prospects for the fall HeraldNet
Fishing report The Columbian
Coho appear to be pushing into Sound Seattle Post Intelligencer
The Oregonian - OregonLive.com
all 5 news articles


Fishing Report: Big money up for grabs in Patriot Sportfishing’s ...
San Luis Obispo Tribune, CA - 3 hours ago
Paying passengers fishing from Patriot fishing boats are eligible to win. Patriot employees and family members are not eligible. Patriot will continue to ...
Bonito showing up as the water temperature rises Ventura County Star
all 2 news articles


Fishing boats run aground near Port Ludlow
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Aug 27, 2008
By MIKE BARBER The US Coast Guard is investigating two fishing vessels aground at Port Ludlow. No injuries have been reported and no signs of damage or ...
BREAKING NEWS: 2 Fishing Vessels Run Aground Near Port Ludlow KIROtv.com
all 10 news articles


Fishing Line
Sacramento Bee,  USA - 6 hours ago
AMERICAN RIVER -- A few striped bass were caught up and down the river, but fishing has slowed. There were also reports of a few small steelhead caught in ...
Fishing report San Mateo County Times
Fishing Report: Week of Aug. 27 Fresno Bee (subscription)
Bass biting at Clear Lake; leave plastic worms on bottom St. Helena Star
all 5 news articles


Anglers' group seeks ban on commercial bass fishing
Wicked Local Provincetown, MA - 7 hours ago
He says he has heard anecdotally that Maine fishing guides aren’t even going out and that elsewhere in northern New England fishermen are experiencing ...


New Vision

Illegal fishing threatens Nile perch exports
New Vision, Uganda - 4 hours ago
By Josephine Maseruka UGANDA will not have any Nile perch to export in the next two years if illegal fishing is not curbed immediately. ...


DNR: Salmon action to intensify in Mich. in Sept.
MLive.com, MI - 13 hours ago
by AP As the end of August approaches, Michigan begins to move into the fall fishing patterns, the Michigan Department of Resources said Wednesday in its ...
Fishing report Carlsbad Current Argus
all 6 news articles


South Florida fishing report
MiamiHerald.com, FL - 16 hours ago
He was fishing in 1200 feet of water off of Fowey Light. . . . Lucas Anson, almost 2, was fishing with his father, JD, when Lucas caught his first fish, ...
With snook, bigger is not always better The News-Press
Promising Signs for Snook Anglers The Ledger
all 4 news articles


Man charged $7000 for crab-fishing violations
Vancouver Sun,  Canada - 12 hours ago
A Surrey man has been fined $7000 for illegal practices while crab fishing, Fisheries and Oceans Canada said Wednesday. Dinh Ly Hoang pleaded guilty to two ...
Surrey man fined for illegal crab fishing Surrey Leader
all 2 news articles

Fishing - Google News

home | site map
Go Fishing © 2006 - All Rights Reserved Worldwide