Roger,

Just out of curiosity, I was wondering about a mayfly that hatches on Maine's Mid-coast rivers and streams that have a silt bottom with a somewhat stiff current but not enough to wash away the silt. I intend to send one to Dennis ....... and/or Tom .... should I run into one in the next week or two. (I suspect the Kennebec will drag me from the Mid-coast, though!)

The mayfly from the silt-bottom streams and rivers looks like a red quill. It is imitated by a size 14 dry fly hook and has rather dark dun wings, legs and TWO tails. The body is dark mahogany a la male E. subvaris (only darker). I suspect it is a minor Maine hatch. The two tails make it odd.

Anyway, I was looking in Knopp and Cormier and began wondering if the mystery fly was Baetis brunneicolor. K and C just don't have enough info in the book to nail it down, though.

I think Baetis flies are a whole new frontier in Maine that have been largely ignored.

Streamer, I suspect B. brunneicolor goes by a colloquial name with "brown" in it, not "red quill." I can't emphasize enough that this fly to which I refer is a mystery species in Maine.

By the way, this is one of the best threads I have seen on these Maine fly-fishing boards.

Ken-

Based on the information you provided, my best guess would be Little Slate-Winged Brown Quill (Baetis brunneicolor), with Little Quill Gordon (Cinygmula subaequalis) running a distant second. You didn’t mention the hind wings. Baetis brunneicolor would have minute hind wings, and Cinygmula subaequalis would have obvious hind wings. Both of these species inhabit Maine streams, and are spring emergers. Physical description and habitat would far favor Baetis brunneicolor.

Roger

Created: 05/13/2006   Last modified: 08/25/2006    www.FlyfishingEntomology.com