scottish mayflies

[Highlander]

head and on the water and not a rise anywhere

Anyone have any ideas why this is so.
On more than a few occasions I have noticed this whereby the water was covered in naturals & the fish were either ignoring them or in a few cases taking something else.
Is it the size that frightens them off. I know it takes a while on occasion to home in on wind borne Daddies & large Sedge in the evenings are sometime ignored but come back a couple of hours later & it is a different world. Or is it a case that they do not taste good, do not think that is true though I have heard it said. Silverhorn Sedge I think may fall into that category. Can not remember a time when I have seen Trout feeding on them despite 1,000s fluttering above the water. Get a fall of Hawthorn or Ants in August & it is a different story, the Trout absolutely molicate them. Others mileage may vary on that last one.
Tight Lines

[haresear]

Quote
head and on the water and not a rise anywhere
Anyone have any ideas why this is so.

I sometimes find the same thing around this time of year with hatches of olives. It is as though the fish don't recognise them as food as they are not used to finding their food on the surface over the winter.

With mayflies I think the same applies. It is not part of the trout's normal daily diet, so it can take a while for them to realise that the mayfly is an easy meal.

I've seen the same with heather fly at Loch Doine. There were countless numbers of mating heather flies struggling in the surface film in a flat calm and I saw just one rise all day long. It was weird :?.

Alex

[deergravy]

They're widely distributed across most of Sutherland and into Caithness, more so than many people  might think.
I've seen them ignored in favour of small olives a few times but, more usually, the highland fish get stuck into them. There's not much beats a mayfly hatch for pure excitement in loch fishing.

Size 10 DHE with an olive body is my first choice.

Dave

[deergravy]

I should add, the problem with highland mayfly hatches is the timing.
On the chalkstreams and the Irish loughs, the hatches seem to be more predictable, in the north of Scotland the peak activity could be anytime in June or July, or not at all - more a steady trickle over the summer.

[Tim]

Ardbeg

Peacock herl DHE in size 12 was the one if memory serves right. These are size 14 but you will get the idea.



Tim

[garryh]

thanks to everyone for the tips and advice.will tie a few of your suggestions and keep my fingers crossed come June.

  cheers Garry

[Pearly Invicta]

The Braan also has a mayfly hatch- and it can be spectacular. Fish seem to rise to them on the upper river (Amulree) but not further downstream- but that's fairly typical of the Braan.

[Pearly Invicta]

Ah well, that's the question! I can't remember! I do remember a huge hatch above Rumbling bridge where I lay on my back on a rock and watched the air show. Spectacular stuff. Didn't have a rod with me but drove up to Amulree and, right enough, trout were rising to them.

[Highlander]

I am sure they are native but one thing I have noticed over the years is people saying they have seen Mayfly when in fact it has been another upwing fly mistaken for Mayfly. That is quite common I think.
Tight Lines

[Fishtales]

I think it is the American influence from books. They call all upwing flies mayflies, freda?

I have watched Mayflies (danica) hatching in a bay on Loch Awe at the end of May.