One sweltering summer afternoon, the waters beneath an overhanging branch along a shoreline seemed to boil.
Despite the heat of the day, the sun did not cause this phenomenon.
Most mayflies don’t even last their one day of adulthood. When such copious amounts of protein suddenly enter the food chain, that kicks off a massive feeding frenzy, attracting every bug eater around.
Millions of insects attempted to dry their new wings on the branch and nearby bushes or buzzed around the vegetation. Inevitably, some fell into the water, kicking off a ferocious feeding frenzy.
Mayflies spend most of their lives underwater as nymphs that somewhat resemble elongated or flattened crickets. Hatches, technically just bugs metamorphizing into their winged adult form, periodically erupt during warmer months. In Mississippi, hatches typically take place from late March through early November, peaking from late June to mid-September.
The insects change into adults for one purpose — to mate and then die. Mayflies belong to the insect order Ephemeroptera, which means “lasting only one day.” Each hatch could produce millions, perhaps even billions, of winged insects clinging to tree branches, low bushes, reeds, or whatever they can find before taking flight to mate.
Huge mayfly swarms sometimes appear on radar. On July 3, 2020, a gigantic swarm appeared on National Weather Service radar 50 miles away and blanketed the town of Burlington, Iowa. In June 2015, a hatch along the Susquehanna River near Columbia, Pennsylvania, grew so thick that police had to close to bridge over the river because motorists couldn’t see. In 2014, a hatch on the upper Mississippi River near La Crosse, Wisconsin, reached an altitude of 2,500 feet. On radar, it resembled a powerful rainstorm approaching the town. Sometimes, northern communities use snowplows to push piles of dead insects off bridges so people can drive safely.
Most mayflies don’t even last their one day of adulthood. When such copious amounts of protein suddenly enter the food chain, that kicks off a massive feeding frenzy, attracting every bug eater around. Birds snatch flies from the air. Those that fall into the water, alive or dead, soon attract every fish in the vicinity.
Anglers never know when or where a major hatch might erupt. A hatch could happen along any freshwater stream or lake in the Magnolia State at any time, but generally occur in places with little or no current, like backwater areas away from the main channels or along placid lake shorelines.
Fishermen fortunate enough to find a mayfly hatch could load the boat quickly. Bait selection doesn’t matter as much as placement. If an enticement lands in the right spot where the water seems to boil with activity, strikes come fast. It the bait doesn’t hit the sweet spot, nothing happens.
For the most fun, cast small floating “popping bugs” made of cork or foam with fly tackle. These floating temptations mimic insects swimming on the surface. Some even closely resemble crickets, grasshoppers, or other creatures that fish love to eat.
Bass also eat the insects, but larger bass gather to feed on the multitude of smaller fish consuming the insects. Finding a mayfly hatch could swiftly turn a humdrum day into incredibly fast action.
