Big Mayfly

I fish central New Jersey and pretty much every year at this time in the late afternoon I see a very large white mayfly emerging. I never see it in any numbers, maybe just 1 or 2. It's usually climbing for altitude though not very swiftly I am thinking maybe a size 12? A local fly shop said probably a Cahill but this one seems larger and looks white plus other than one here or there, there is never any abundance. In fact, when I do see one my reaction is WOW, what is THAT?? If anyone has any suggestions I'd be happy to know. Thanks.

I'm not from your area, but that sounds like a Epheron Leukon, also known as "White Fly". In my area, these are about size #10 and quite white. They hatch in late afternoon / evening. They can hatch very profusely, especially on more marginal, somewhat silty, streams that may hold SMB as well as trout.

http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/820/Ma...on-White-Flies

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Originally Posted by riverdep

I never see it in any numbers, maybe just 1 or 2. It's usually climbing for altitude though not very swiftly I am thinking maybe a size 12?

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The "climbing for altitude" makes it sound like a spinner. The fact that you don't see masses of the them rules out the white fly as far as I'm concerned. (Which are about a size 14 in the Mid-Atlantic -- although they can look bigger because they often don't completely shed their shucks in the dun-to-spinner process.)

I'd be thinking either Cream Cahill (a different species that the Light Cahill and very pale) or maybe even a Yellow Drake spinner (although it's getting a bit late in the season for them.) The latter are quite large.

Size 12 isn't large for a Cahill.

How many tails? Did you notice the legs?

green drake - coffin fly

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Originally Posted by dr korn

green drake - coffin fly

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It's a bit late in the year for that.

Thanks everyone. I will tie-up all your suggestions and will see what (hopefully) works. Best