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> > Added more Heptagenia culacantha info



This topic is about the Mayfly Species Heptagenia culacantha

This species is not known to be important to anglers. It is noteworthy for its relatively recent discovery, its large size, and the striking coloration of its nymphs and duns. They are sometimes called Tiger Mayflies.

This is the largest species of Heptagenia on the continent, and it's also one of the largest in the entire Heptageniidae family. Nymphs and adult females have been collected with bodies up to a size of 19.5mm, a little over 3/4" long. Read more...

Male Heptagenia culacantha Mayfly Spinner Male Heptagenia culacantha Mayfly Spinner (1 Pictures)
Male Heptagenia culacantha Mayfly Dun Male Heptagenia culacantha Mayfly Dun (3 Pictures)

The Discussion

Post Reply
TroutnutDecember 19th, 2006, 5:16 pm
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2737		I went to the entomology library today and photocopied the 1985 paper that first described this curious species. I've updated the culacantha page with this information.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
PhillyfiredMay 14th, 2008, 10:11 am
Posts: 8Sir,

This fly (Heptagenia) is recommended for the 3rd meadow of slough creek in yellowstone park What pattern would you recommend for ths mayfly? and what kind of spinner for this pattern. Any help would be greatly appreciated by my group. I will be fishing the 3rd meadow in the 1st week of Aug of this year. Also it was posted by gonzo about this fly in pa where is he fishing? do you even know? I'm from phila and will be fishing at the end of the month in up-state pa ( Slate and Cedar Runs and Pine Creek and smaller streams in that area any help would be great
Thank You
Mark A. Pryor
Phila Fire Dept
Ladder 34 B/Plt.
215-552-9830
TaxonMay 14th, 2008, 2:12 pm
Site Editor
Royse City, TX

Posts: 1350		Mark-

There are two Heptagenia species, which could be present in YNP, H. elegantula and H. solitaria. They are often referred to by the common name, Pale Evening Dun. The emergence is generally in early to late afternoon, and the spinner fall is in the evening. For imitation of the emerging duns, I would suggest a Sparkle Dun, Compra-Dun, or Light Cahill with a creamish body in hook size #14. For imitation of the spent spinners, I would suggest a spent-winged spinner imitation with a creamish body in hook size #14.
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
PhillyfiredMay 17th, 2008, 6:38 pm
Posts: 8Roger
Thanks for that info is there a site that i can visit to see a picture if this bug (fly) if so,could you please e-mail me the site? thanks for your help in this matter
Mark A. Pryor
Phila Fire Dept.
Ladder 34 B/Plt.
TaxonMay 17th, 2008, 10:00 pm
Site Editor
Royse City, TX

Posts: 1350		Mark-

PM sent.
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
GONZOMay 18th, 2008, 10:33 pm
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
Also it was posted by gonzo about this fly in pa where is he fishing? do you even know?

I know exactly where Gonzo is fishing, but if I told you, I'd have to....
Just kidding, Mark. I'd be happy to help one of Philly's finest, if I can.

Best,
Gonzo
PhillyfiredMay 21st, 2008, 1:11 pm
Posts: 8Gonzo
where are you fishing those flies
Can you let the cat out of the bag with a pm to me?
Thanks
Mark Pryor
Philly Fire Dept.
Ladder 34
GONZOMay 21st, 2008, 10:21 pm
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681		Mark,

If you are asking where I fish Heptagenia culacantha, then I'm afraid that the species I was trying to identify is something more mundane. See PM.
PhillyfiredJune 11th, 2008, 7:43 pm
Posts: 8Hello Lloyd
The fishing in up-state pa was pretty slow, the first 3 days The weather was in the low 30's for the first couple days. The fly team however killed'em on the Green Drake Hatch. I was in double digits for the most part of the trip. The biggest trout was 19 inch rainbow, on one of my favorite patterns (Pheasant Tail) On Cedar Run I caught and landed and released one of my greatest native brown trout of 17 inches, for this beautiful stream. Fished the area of Blackwell prety hard and did fairly well. Fished down towards Cammal Pa and just tore them up. I talked to Tom Finkbinder of Slate Run Tackle Shop, he stated fishing the run's were pretty hard this year, but a 17 inch br trout was quite a bragging right when we went to the hotel manor bar, i must agree, About those streams in the pocono's i'll get back with you. Go to www.CanyonCountryCottages.com for a picture of me with a beautiful brown you have to scroll all the way down on the picture site I'm at the very bottom Take Care Mark Pryor
GONZOJune 11th, 2008, 9:48 pm
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681		Hi Mark,

Thanks for the follow-up report. It sounds like you had a great time on some great waters. I checked the pix, and that is a fine fat brown you're holding. I also had a grand time chasing the olive morning dun hatch from stream to stream in the Poconos.

Best,
Gonzo
EntomanFebruary 6th, 2012, 11:06 pm
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604		By far the largest and most brightly colored Heptagenia ever recorded?... Somehow missed by ento's and anglers in a densely populated area after more than 50 years of intensive study?... Only to be "discovered" in the early 80's?... Recorded only in waters near Three-Mile island?... Hmmmm........ Sounds like the makings of a Sci-Fi flick to me:)
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman
CrepuscularFebruary 8th, 2012, 8:04 am
Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 923		Entoman, I had to laugh when I took this photo just upstream of Three Mile Island on the east shore of the Susquehanna River just below where the Swatara Creek enters. I had the same thoughts as you...but seriously the Susquehanna is not an easy river to sample for bugs in my opinion. It is very large and pushes a lot of water. Especially in the spring when you would collect mature culacantha nymphs. And I don't believe that there are a ton of these Heptageniids around. Also the people who are doing most of the sampling like myself are doing so for water quality monitoring work so they only take the specimens down to genus-level taxonomy.
EntomanFebruary 8th, 2012, 1:53 pm
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604		Crepuscular -

Welcome to the forum!

Yeah, the circumstances were just too funny to pass up.:). The reason you couldn't post the photo here is because it needs to be in Photo bucket or similar location. The photography board is the only one that allows downloading from your PC directly.

BTW - Great photo!
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman

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