Conewago Creek Pennsylvania: Early Season Fly Hatches

The Conewago is showing sporadic hatches of the classic early season fly hatches. Quill Gordons (Eperous sp.), Hendricksons (Ephemerella subvaria) and Blue Quills (Paraleptophlebia sp.) These flies typical hatch during the warmest period of the day 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. But this is just a general rule. Spinner returns are usually around 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Quill Gordon

Nymphs: Duns emerge underwater and usually crawl to down side of the rocks. Our best imitation is a Hare's Ear Wetfly G.R. in sizes 12-16.  Remember the duns struggle to emerge on the sides of the streams usually.

Dry Fly: We still like Art Flick's Quill Gordon:

Size 12-16

Wings: Flank Feather of Wood duck or Mandarin

Body: Peacock Quill with fine Gold Wire

Hackle: Natural Medium Blue Dun

Tails: Blue Dun

Hendrickson

Nymphs: Are quite active prior to emergence. We like sizes 12-16. Nymphs are brownish grey with areas of tannish to yellowish cream on some streams and stretches. On other streams or stretches of the same stream they may be blackish with light areas. Here are two of our favorite patterns.

Macri's Dark Hendrickson Nymph

Size 12-16

Tails: Dark Wood duck

Body: Mix dark grey and black rabbit fur with a slight amount of yellow cream. Thorax area should be darker. Wrap abdomen with copper wire. Use a dark feather for the wing cases.

Legs: Use wooduck fibers again.

The use of wooduck is important because when wet with the back light of the stream these fibers resemble the actual legs of natural nymphs.

Macri's Light Hendrickson Nymph

Tails: Wood duck fibers

Body: Mix Medium dark brown with 1/4 tan and yellow fur. Dark Wing Cases on Thorax

Legs: Wood duck fibers

Hendrickson Dry Fly

Sizes: 12-16

Wings: Wood duck or Poly in medium to dark grey

Body: Ruddy colored fur or stripped quill (Red Quill as described by Art Flick).

Hackle: Natural Blue Dun

Tails: Blue Dun

The Early Season Blue Quill

The nymphs of these flies are typically size 16. We like the following pattern.

Macri's Blue Quill Nymph

Note Blue Quills may emerge as early as 11:00 a.m on the stream.

Tails: Light grey hackle wisps

Body: Abdomen-Light Tannish Fur ribbed with gold wire with greyish brown maribou (or other soft fibers) for the gills. Thorax medium dark brown fur with dark brown wing cases.

Nymphs lie along the edges of the stream and move upstream.

Dry Fly

Size 16

Tails: Grey hackle wisps

Body: dark to light tannish brown with dark rings on the abdomen; so rib your fur with a Clark's yarn to imitate this

Wings: Dark Blue Grey Poly or wing material

Hackle: Dark Blue Dun Hackle

Tails: Dark Blue Dun