The Times They are a Changing

In the last few days I have been told by reliable sources that hendricksons are already hatching on some Pennsylvania limestone spring creeks.  I have even been sent pictures of the bugs, which are in fact, hendricksons.  Both male and female, and in one report trout rose to take them off the surface for a brief period of time.

Now I know that the spring creeks tend to have a more stable temperature range, but in 50+ years of fly fishing I have never seen a hendrickson in mid-March...ever, and I fish a lot.  I have seen a stray here and there in late March, but just one, and I imagined it was doing it's best imitation of an olive or a quill gordon. 

  

This is a male hendrickson (Red Quill) - 3 tails, dark smoky wings and big rusty eyes, size 14.  The females are one size larger, tannish pink underbelly (dorsal side is darker and often has some olive coloration), and small dark eyes. 

What does this mean for our freestone streams?  Only time will tell, but just in case I'll be sure to have my hendrickson imitations when I'm on the water in the next few weeks.

I'll be on the water a couple of times in the next few days and report back what I see.  I'm hoping to only see olives and maybe some midges, but we're living in weird times so I guess anything is possible.

Sharpen your hooks.