The Mayfly

Pale Morning Dun Adult (PMD)

On a late cloudy summer day, I was fishing the Yampa River.  The ominous clouds were impenetrable brewing a thunderstorm for the afternoon.  There stood another angler maybe 75 yards upstream from me.  A few rain drops drummed my Gore-Tex jacket.  A sudden cloudburst moved upon us instantaneously with a downpour so dense, I could hardly visibly make out the silhouette of the angler upstream.  Neither one of us abandoned our spots and withstood the mini monsoon.  As hastily as the rains hit, it departed bringing back sunshine and the most magnificent mayfly BWO hatch ever!

Mayflies are some of the most ornate insects in the fly fishing world.  There are many types of mayflies each with color variations and sizes.  Trout often are highly selective to mayflies and feed ravenous upon them.

Blue Winged Olive (BWO)

Mayflies have an incomplete life cycle of egg, nymph, and adult.  The eggs are deposited in the water by the females and hatch into young nymphs.  Mayflies have been classified into several families, which have quite different nymph habits.  Those with burrowing nymphs are the Ephemeridae.  Those with clinging nymphs are known as Heptagenidae.  Those with crawling, swimming nymphs are the Baetidae.

Mayflies spend most of their lives under water.  In the immature stages, they are called nymphs. The nymphs have bodies of ten segments and gills distributed variously depending on the different genera.  The thorax is very muscular and supports the growing wings under the dark wing casings.  Most nymphs have three tails, however, some species have only two.  The nymphs are very bashful and seek shelter to the bottom until it is time for them to emerge.  During this time, they lose their timidity and become considerably active in the water.

Mayflies consume diatoms and desmids in large quantities for food.  Their diet is predominantly vegetarian.  They have somewhat of a elongated, flattened body that goes through a number of instars, or molting stages to increase in size.  Growth is rapid with the nymph outgrowing and shedding his nymph skin as often as twenty times.

Pale Morning Dun Nymph

When the nymph reaches the surface to emerge, he splits his nymph shuck at the thorax, and the surface tension literally peels him out of his old skin.  The freshly hatched mayfly then pops out on the surface.  As his wings dry, he takes to the air.  The drying period is not long, usually lasting maybe a few seconds. During damp and drizzly days, mayflies cannot dry their wings off  as quickly and remain on the water for a longer period of time, much to the delight of a hungry trout.

This stage of the mayfly is known as the dun for most fisherman.  Duns may be recognized by their generally dull coloring and underdeveloped wing venation.  Most species make a direct flight to the shoreline brush to rest before the final molting to the spinner stage, where both males and females now have the ability to mate and lay eggs (ovipositing).  The final molting takes place from twenty minutes to three days depending upon the species. 

The adult mayfly is exquisite.  On the water, the mayfly look like miniature delicate sailboats.  Mayflies are the most diverse insect a fly fisherman needs to identify and understand.  There is definitely a science in learning the entomology.  Learn the stages, what flies to use, and matching the hatches.  The successful fly fisherman then can use the proper mayfly imitation and the skill to present their fly cleverly to the trout.

Illustration by Cat Toy

It really is winter. Yampa River Fly Fishing Report, Stagecoach ~ 1/9/2020

The drive over the Rabbit Ears Pass was risky with moments of zero visibility.  I was apprehensive the Yampa River below Stagecoach Reservoir would be the same.  It’s really winter, and there remains a high risk with traveling as well as the urgency to be prepared.  I feared the worse that taking this fishing trip would be disheartening.

Driving down the pass in the distance, I could see in the remote, openings of sunshine with intense cloud cover deeply-seated with production of gentle snow flurries.  Roads have been icy and tapered due to the high winds blowing snow across the road.  At the entrance of the state park, the ranger shack remained dark and ominous.  Signs are clearly marked where to park.  It’s just my Jeep and no other vehicles.  The snow had one set of tire tracks on the road made by a park ranger.

There certainly is a lot more snow at the Stagecoach Tailwaters after the New Year.  Winter has nestled in and the Stagecoach Reservoir remains silent.  As I made my way to the closed gate, there are no other boot prints but mine in the snow covered road.  The hike from the close gate to the tailwaters is approximately 2 miles.

The canyon is significantly shadowed dropping the temperature to about 15 degrees.  The banks are softly blanketed with fluffy powder and the river’s edge has intricate ice formations.  Winter fly fishing has light crowds, but I remained the one and only with the complete river to myself.  It really is winter.

Fishing has been good with a steady cfs of 40.  The clouds broadened, sunshine and blue skies confiscated the winter skies.  Nymphing is the proficient technique with ever changing of patterns:  Black Beauty #18-22, RS2 #18-22 black, Zebra #18-20, Bling Midge #20.  Dry fly prospects are diminutive with BWO’s #20-22.  5x tippet is a worthy set up sure to tantalize eager trout.  The Stagecoach tailwaters hold numerous Rainbow, Cutbow, atypical Brown, and the chance at the vibrant Brook trout.  Fishing has gradually transitioning into winter where temperatures are wintry, and the trout are feeding less robustly.  The fish will eat with little energy, so be ready to set the hook with even the least dance of your indicator.

It really is winter.  Gear up warm, carry extra gloves, hand warmers, food, water, and a portable microfiber hand towel to dry your hands is a must.  Bring snowshoes as the snow gets deeper.  Daily park pass is still required of $8 even with the vehicle access gate closed until April 1^st, 2020.  Setting into the spirit of winter really can mean no crowds with the definite angler’s dream of fish galore.  See you on the river!

Cat Toy Biography

A gorgeous rainbow trout from the Taylor River.

Cat grew up in Mammoth Lakes, California, next to the wild trout creeks and streams in a quaint ski resort town nestled in the magnificent Southern Sierra Nevada mountain range.  She learned to ski at an early age of 3 from her grandparents.  Her grandfather would take her and her younger brother fishing to the high alpine lakes and mountain streams.  They hiked the spectacular glacier carved mountains blanketed with vibrant wildflowers, tall majestic Jeffery and Bristlecone pines, and deep earthquake faults. 

Twin Lakes, one of Mammoth's beautiful lakes in California.

Her family moved to Reno, Nevada for new prospects to explore and college education opportunities.  As a young adult, she enjoyed several seasons as a ski instructor at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe.  Shortly thereafter, she took an interest and became a certified Emergency Medical Technician.

Motocross racing in Nevada.

The gates dropped and the rumble of 20+ guys racing motocross dirt bikes exploded from the starting line, including Cat. Not just a recreational racer, Cat pursuit the points in the annual MX West State Championship motocross racing series in Northern Nevada. Cat knows racing motocross as the most adrenaline pumping perfect storm of both physical and mental concentration that is an absolute requirement for the most severe sport on earth.  Her swift progression in the male dominant sport kept her competitive for 10 years with multiple trophies and numerous corporate racing sponsors. 

As an emergency medical technician, the aspiration to go further in the healthcare field led her into the journey of further studies where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a minor in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2007.  Racing motocross, she said, kept her sane in surviving nursing school.

Cat is a ski patroller at Loveland Ski Area.

Cat’s nursing career started in Colorado with experience in psychiatric nursing, post surgical rehabilitation, and as a nursing educator.  In addition to channeling her medical expertise, she is also a ski patroller at the pinnacle summit of the Rocky Mountains gracing the slopes of Loveland Ski Area. Like racing motocross, ski patrolling is physically demanding, requires an aptitude of awareness, discipline, and superior public relation skills. 

The opportunity to experience fly fishing occurred in recent when she was merely handed a rod and reel to discern on her own. Cat used her past experiences of life skills to perfect the techniques that are necessary to be a successful fly angler, and her progression rate soared. Experienced fishing buddies, professional guides, and friends were stunned at Cat's expeditious passion to own the skills.  As a disciplined fly angler, she changed her approach by analyzing the intricate facets of fly fishing from spontaneous hatches to the most technical presentations required among the ever changing drifts of a trout stream. 

Cutthroat trout that can be fished in Clinton Gulch Reservoir

Fly fishing can take Cat to some of the most ruggedly beautiful, breathtaking canyons found in Colorado.  The near future will unfold as there will be more to come with fly fishing for Cat.  There is so much to share, enjoy, and to treasure.

Fishing the Yampa River during winter.

Cat is part of the Pro Staff Team and brand ambassador for Togens Fly Shop, ShopMcFly, WORN, Mystic Fly Rods, and Solarez   She writes fly fishing blogs for Togens Fly Shop, ShopMcFly, Mystic Fly Rods, and United Women on the Fly. 

Cat is a fly fishing guide with Blue Quill Angler.  She is also an avid fly tier. “There is such great enjoyment with fly tying and the absolute bliss catching beautiful trout on your own tied flies.” Fly tying gives her “the artistic touch in creating the tiniest forms of art for the prize, the trout.”  When one of her clients catches a fish on her flies, it is an out of this world moment of excitement for both!  If she isn't nursing or guiding, she is out fishing, fly tying, writing, or riding her dirt bike.  Take a look at her events calendar where you may find her.