"The Mayfly Hatch"

By Brian Young

Eufaula Boy's Crappie Guide Service

As I begin to write this post I was sitting here after my guide trip thinking about this process known as “The Mayfly Hatch” and why it makes the crappie fishing so good. Like any other angler trying to learn I got on my phone and google searched “The Mayfly lifecycle”. Then I began to look up pictures of what an Egg, Nymph, Sub-Imago, then Mayfly.

I then thought of the places that I’ve caught crappie during this process, Bodark Trees (Hedge Trees to all my Show me state friends), Rip Rap, Chunk Rock banks, long points etc.

The nymphs take anything between a few days to a number of weeks to hatch depending on water conditions and the species, and the resultant nymphs will spend various lengths of time, up to two years, foraging on the bottom before emerging as an adult fly.

When it is time to emerge, the nymphs make their way to the surface where they pull themselves free of their nymphal shuck and emerge as a sub-imago. While they rest here to dry their newly exposed wings, they are at their most vulnerable to attack from fish.

The thing that stood out the most, was the nymph will be on the bottom for a various length of time, up to two years and when the time is right, they will emerge to the top. I’ve seen this happen six times in a summer and the fishing was outstanding each time.

A couple of years ago Crappie Magnet asked me to be on their ProStaff. While going through the different baits and colors they offer, I came across a color called “Dude”. My response was just that! “Dude, that looks just like a Mayfly Nymph”.

So, if you see a few Mayflies’ floating around, it’s a warning that your live well maybe full at the end of the day.

I fish them on a white ProBuilt Jigs jighead. It’s been the best combination! You can find them at your local bait store. If you use this combination, let us know your results. Tag Professional Crappie Anglers United on facebook!