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What is the FLAV mayfly that I'll be fishing out West in August? I'm not sure what to tie, what colors they are or what size. Anyone have a parachute or sparkle dun pattern?
Thanks,
Bruce

Bruce,

Drunella flavilinea (Ephemerella flavilinea in older texts) is a medium-size Western ephemerellid species, aka Small Western Green Drake or Slate-Winged Olive. You can find photos, info, and (if you'll click on the pattern names at the bottom of the page) some patterns to try here:
http://www.westfly.com/entomology/mayfly/flav.shtml
(Please note that you'll have to adjust the colors of the patterns--which are really tying style suggestions--to the colors indicated for the flavs. Emergers or freshly emerged duns will have lighter body colors.)

Bruce-

The mayflies are Drunella flavilinea and D. coloradensis, which are said to be so similar that even entomologists have trouble telling them apart. Commonly referred to as either Flavs or Lesser Green Drakes, there is a sufficient amount to say about them, that Western Mayfly Hatches by Hafele and Hughes devotes a separate chapter (15 pages) to them. My recommendation would be to simply order the book, as in my opinion, it is (by far) the best book available for western mayflies.

Ha! Happy 4th, Roger...and the same to all my fellow Troutnuts! :)

Ah, now I get it, looks like we were keying at the same time. A happy 4th to you too, Lloyd.

Thanks: I guess I should have known. I never heard of them until this trip out West became a reality. I looked on the site but I couldn't locate them, but I'm sure I must have looked in the wrong place.
Bruce

I've fished them on the Henry's Fork below Ashton, They generally come off in the lower light, late afternoon, BUT, some mid-afernoon rain clouds can bring on a great hatch. A #14 Parachute olive body works well along with the same body comparadun. I did well one day with no flavs with me, and a sudden rainfall, and flavs and fish were everywhere. I did well on a Parachute Adams size #14. Sizes are #14-16 and a brown shuck and olive bodied Comparadun is a great pattern. Hot, warm day in July and it will be 8 PM, or later before they come off. Fish luv'um, and generally aren't that picky when flavs come off.