Blaming the mayflies

[captpierre]

Wondering if the crazy mayfly hatch is to blame for the poor walleye fishing here on Pigeon. Either that or I suck and should take up golf. 

[BillM]

If there are mayflies everywhere, then slow death hooks and little bits of worm would be the ticket.

[OhioFisherman]

The absolute worst trip I ever had to Pointe Au Baril was when them things were floating all over the water.

[Tjames09]

I didn’t see any mayflies yesterday?

normally they’re all over everything.

[huzzsaba]

Not sure they were mayflies, but I have never seen that many baitifish in the water and seagulls diving at the pier last week.  I was sure I was going to have a great day fishing off the pier.  I was wrong!!  Those flies chased me off the pier.  I had to drive home on the highway with windows to make sure whatever was on my clothes flew out.  Still brought some home with me in the tackle box

[BillM]

Those sound like midges.   Been swarming boaters for a few weeks now.

[OhioFisherman]

http://fox8.com/2013/06/17/return-of-the-mayflies-midges-back-in-ne-ohio/

This is an old story, but the mayflies are bigger than the midges, but both can be a pain,  they don't bite, just get all over the place.

[BillM]

These are midges, I can't see the mayflies being out yet.    Guys on Lake O have been dealing with these buggers for a few weeks.

[akaShag]

That's like a freakin' HITCHCOCK movie!

Mind you, the black flies the last few weeks here around K-town have been brutal, and the mosquitoes started in quite ferocious about three days ago.  No deer flies yet, though...........

Doug

[Mister G]

On 6/2/2018 at 9:40 PM, captpierre said:

Wondering if the crazy mayfly hatch is to blame for the poor walleye fishing here on Pigeon. Either that or I suck and should take up golf. 

I didn't want to say anything..............LOL

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[AKRISONER]

the midges were definitely out this weekend, definitely no may flies

annoying, but manageable. better than the mosquitoes and blackflies that were also swarming lol.

On 6/2/2018 at 10:07 PM, OhioFisherman said:

The absolute worst trip I ever had to Pointe Au Baril was when them things were floating all over the water.

Rule of thumb Ohio...its the same every year...the fish are up shallow and eating like absolute crazy until the mayfly hatch every year. Huge pike, walleye all found right up in 5 fow, then the mayfly hatch happens and everything moves out deep. The bass dont seem to mind though for whatever reason, they are still insane until august, then the fishing gets tougher.

[OhioFisherman]

50 minutes ago, AKRISONER said:

the midges were definitely out this weekend, definitely no may flies

annoying, but manageable. better than the mosquitoes and blackflies that were also swarming lol.

Rule of thumb Ohio...its the same every year...the fish are up shallow and eating like absolute crazy until the mayfly hatch every year. Huge pike, walleye all found right up in 5 fow, then the mayfly hatch happens and everything moves out deep. The bass dont seem to mind though for whatever reason, they are still insane until august, then the fishing gets tougher.

http://www.cleveland19.com/story/38338581/bugging-out-swarms-of-midges-invade-northeast-ohio

LOL, payback for the tariffs? Akri, I never headed up north until after the bass opener in late June, most trips were July and August and a guy trip only in September. It seems to me the mayfly deal we ran into was right around the bass opener.

I live 25 miles or so inland from Lake Erie now, the midges and mayflies aren't much of a problem here, we see a few at times but nothing like along the lakefront. When I had the condo 1/2 mile from the lake they were a pain.

Bass seem to handle the warmer water temps much easier than pike or walleye, even here I have caught them early in the year where you don't see them once the water warms.

[captpierre]

Definitely mayflies 

[jimmer]

2 hours ago, captpierre said:

Definitely mayflies 

You breeding them up at the north end????

[huzzsaba]

On 6/3/2018 at 3:27 PM, BillM said:

These are midges, I can't see the mayflies being out yet.    Guys on Lake O have been dealing with these buggers for a few weeks.

yup that's what chased me off the pier lol

[captpierre]

6 hours ago, jimmer said:

You breeding them up at the north end????

No but I  was watching them have sex in the air. Big orgie 

[Garnet]

Mayflys are very hard to see when it's windy.

I cast for walleye and when you get hard bite on 1st drop even before it hits the bottom.

You are likely dealing with a mayfly bite.

[jimmer]

We don't seem to get them down the south end like that.  I do remember a trip to the French River and there were clouds of them, which resulted in a less than desirable outcome for fishing.

[chris.brock]

Wow, that's pretty early for mayflies. Fishing might be a little tough for a couple weeks. Try fishing a fast dropping shore (I know it's Pigeon) with a strong wind blowing directly onshore. I've had the wind congregate the flies and the eyes before.

[OhioFisherman]

http://fox8.com/2018/06/05/those-arent-clouds-video-captures-muckleheads-swarming-across-skies-in-ne-ohio/

Now that's a lot of bugs!

[Garnet]

Strong Mayfly hatch today and wallys still biting just a little fussy .

[SirCranksalot]

We were at Onaping a few years back with mayfly carcasses floating on the water. The bite was very very slow!!