ISONYCHIA

Mahogany Dun, Slate Drakes, Leadwings, Leadwing Coachmen

 

King Paul Cried Out For Good Soup

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

» Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

» Class Insecta (Insects)

» Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)

» Family Isonychiidae (Slate Drakes)

» Genus Isonychia (Slate Drakes)

»Species bicolor (Mahogany Dun

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All the species of Isonychia are similar in appearance and behavior

They may be abundant on one river, and be absent from a neighboring river.[1]

In Pennsylvania mountain Freestones look for isonychia in early to mid-June, the Catskills in mid-June through early July and the Midwest and Appalachians from late June through mid-July.

This is an evening hatch occurring in light numbers. It is important because of the hatches duration and the size of the flies.

 

The second peak usually comes in September, and those flies are more likely to emerge at midday and be smaller than their Summer brethren. They are offspring of the previous autumn. During the Spring emergence they appear as half grown nymphs.[1] [2]

 

A few Isonychia may be found in light numbers between the Spring and Autumn emergences.

 

NYMPHS

Nymphs feed on plankton and sometimes other aquatic insects. They swim easily through medium to fast currents over a gravel and boulder bottom.

Isonychia are tolerant of pollution and marginal temperatures

Point to remember..

Fish them with fast twitches.

DUNS

Depending on the weather or location isonychia may emerge on the surface in riffles or crawl out of slower water.

 

SPINNERS

The duns molt into spinners wihin a few days of emergence. They swarm twenty to thirty feet above the riffles where females jettison their eggs then join the males, in death, on the surface film.

The swarm provides more action than the emergence.

NOTES FOR THE TIER [2]

Dun average body Length-13-17mm

Standard Equivalent, Standard Hook-8, 10

Tails,  2

Wings, Dark Gray

Underbody, Medium Gray Brown

Top of Body, Med. Gray Brown  (Spinners are reddish Brown)

Legs, Cream  Front Legs Dark, Light colored feet

For some wonderful isonychia patterns please go to Don Bastian’s web site.

Notes

[1] http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/649/Mayfly-Isonychia-bicolor-Mahogany-Dun

[2] Don Douple, March 2003