There are more than 500 species of willow flies (also called mayflies) in North America.
Most bluegill fishermen live for the month of May. That’s when bluegill and shellcracker bed up in bunches and you can catch them until you grow tired of it... or you run out of bait.
But second to bedding time, bluegill anglers and others, watch wistfully for willow fly hatches (also frequently called Mayflies).
Whatever you call them... they’re here!
Bill Wills, a regular fixture on the Sale Creek, Possum Creek portion of Chickamauga Lake tells me “the willow flies were in full hatch this morning at Sale Creek. Lots of flyrod action.”
That should be music to the ears of regular warmwater flyrod fanatics. Break out the popping bugs and wax up your flyline. When willow flies are hatching, bluegill make a habit of cruising the shoreline, particularly beneath overhanging trees, just waiting on a willow fly to fall.
And if you time it just right... as the willow flies are actually hatching out... fish of all species will often go into a feeding frenzy. Timing is everything, and there is absolutely no way to predict exactly when the hatches will come. Being there at the right time is sort of like winning the lottery.
Bill Wills also askes another excellent question. “Do you have any idea why the flies always seem to hatch on the river, but you hardly ever see many in the creeks?”
It is a good question. Now don’t believe you won’t willow flies back in the creeks, but like Bill, the most massive hatches I’ve ever seen have been on the main lake.
As I’m prone to do these days when I’m stumped, I’ll start surfing the internet. And while I found some information, specific details about willow flies seems to be somewhat lacking. The only hint I found that might answer Bill’s question somewhat is that willow fly larvae prefer slow-moving water. Maybe the big water is slower moving than the creeks. But that’s just a guess.
However, I did find some other interesting stuff, most particularly that there are more than 500 various species of willow flies in North America. They are of the order Ephemeroptera.
Ephemera means “short-lived,” generally lasting less than a day. Which fits willow flies perfectly. The adult flies indeed, live for less than 24 hours. They are so short-lived in fact, that they don’t have working mouthparts and they don’t eat. They just get eaten by birds and fish.
For the folks who want to know more, willow flies can be discerned from stoneflies and other insects by their three tails which vary in length and adornment with species. Adults have four see-through wings held aloft while resting. Three (or rarely two) long filaments extend from their abdomen in both larvae and adults. Larvae are called naiads and have rows of leaflike gills down the sides of their bodies (usually 7 pairs of gills). They eat small plants, animals, and debris for the two months to three years that they spend in the water (varies with species).
Mating occurs in a swarm. Males usually swarm very near the water, though swarm formations vary from species to species. Within the swarm, the insects are always changing positions. When a female enters the swarm, males try to mate with her. Some float to the ground while mating, and others continue flying. Once a male has successfully mated, he will guard the female to make sure that no other male mates with her. The female then flies to water to lay her eggs. She dips into the water while flying and releases a few eggs each time... obviously a prime time to get sucked under by a feeding fish. The eggs sink to the bottom, starting the cycle all over again, and creating another generation of fish bait.
If you REALLY want to know more visit MayFly Central out of Purdue University.