Question

[Bad Luck Larry]

Hey folks...

About how long does the evening hatch last.....REALLY?

Signed,
Thought I knew it all Larry

[kbproctor]

Until it's over.

I have seen evenings where it lasted for hours, it seemed. Other where it seemed to be over before it started.

[JeffHamm]

Usually from some time ago up until about 5 minutes before I arrive.

- Jeff

[chewydog]

As long as it takes to change flies.

[sagefisher]

That is one of those questions that can not really be answered with any degree of accuracy. Anywhere from 5 minutes to hours, sometimes long after dark, but usually not. The fish and the bugs are the ones who decide that. Just enjoy it while you can.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[oldfrat]

Evening hatches occur after happy hour, It is dangerous to go wading after happy hour. Thus, I don't have a clue how long evening hatches last.

;<0

[Greg H]

I know this will be disputed, but I would say about 2 hours. Sometimes a hatch is spotty but trickles on for over 3 hours. But I have found a solid one is only about 2-2.5 hours.
The other thing is that a hatch that lasts longer than that usually changes over the time, so that while mobile nymphs start first and the duns become the majority, the hatch changes to another fly (caddis) when the mayfly duns are less abundant.
I think it is more important to have the form of the hatch bug (nymph, emerger, dun, spinner) available, than to be on the river at the peak of the hatch.

[Bad Luck Larry]

HA!HA! Well Oldfrat....the bright side is that while you sure won't catch fish, you'll certainly catch -how shall I say?- a 'buzz'! CHEERS!

Thanks all, so far .
I guess I always thought that it would last for a good long time. Last night I was on the water with warmwater fish, and a trico hatch like I've NEVER seen before was on. By the time I got something 'decent' on, the party was over.
Got me thinking about the length of time one has in taking advantage of the situation.
Also got me thinking as to what one should put on the line. Sure there were tricos flying around, but the way they were jumping out of the water gave me the feeling that spinners weren't what they were going for (They were spinners; they were all over me).
My second question would be, when any kind of hatch is going on, and you can't see duns riding the surface like a sailboat race, what should you put on? Duns, reagrdless? Emergers? Stick of dynamite!?
It was pretty amazing to see the back of the car COVERED in spent dun shucks.
Someone said that flyfishers should be more interested in the fish than the insects....but I really can't see why you COULDN'T be, sometimes.

[okflyfisher]

Hex spinner falls usually start around 10:30 Pm and last until the fish switch to hatching duns which can last all night

[kglissmeyer]

In my experience, though the tricos hatch in the evening, the spinner fall will be early the next morning. As far as duration, it depends on the species, weather, time of year, and water temps. All variables that affect timing and duration of hatches.

On my favorite spring the PMD's will pop daily starting at about 11:00 a.m. early in the season and go for at least two hours. Later in the season the hatch slowly progresses to a 3:00 pm start with about the same duration. The difference comes in when these hatches start and what the weather does. Due to the constant and warmer temps of the spring the hatches start in April or May and last through September. Overcast days prompt an earlier start time along with a longer duration. Also, as the season progresses, the newer generations begin to get smaller and I'll se PMD's go from almost a size 14 down to just under a size 16.

Blue-winged Olives (BWOs) are the most weather-tuned bugs I've ever seen and seem to take any opportunity in spring and fall to emerge whenever the sun slips behind a cloud, with mass emergences on stormy days, sometimes lasting from first light until dusk.

There are definitely a lot of variables that will affect timing and duration of hatches. Then there are caddis...

Kelly.