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2. Get Bugs Identified
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3. dobson flies

Hello. I'm from central PA and my friend and I have found a guaranteed harvest spot on a local stream to gather hellgrammites for bait. We know exactly where to find them and they are always in the same spot. I was wondering if we continue to take from the same spot week after week, could we have a major effect on their populations in this stream. We see hundreds of very small larvae and we never take more than we can use. Maybe a half dozen or a dozen weekly. As they mature and grow, do they travel up or down stream or do they basically stay under the same rock beds their entire larvae life? Thanks everyone.

Dunno. Most likely some get swept downstream with spates. As to collecting them. I can't imagine a couple guys would damage the numbers appreciably collecting occasional bait from healthy habitat. But...I dunno.

I think we have been down this path before...Or looked under this rock before. There should be a thread stored somewhere here...Maybe you could search for it.

1) Someone will wonder about the "real" availability of the hellgrammite to the fish...They are pretty tenacious about hiding away...You can turn over some good sized boulders but the bass can't. The adult I will only swear to having seen once in many many years of hanging around streams and that was this past June.

2) Then Spence will suggest that this is, after-all, a fly-fishing site and he'll suggest something like a Murray's Hellgrammite pattern or a Wooley Bugger both very simple flies to tie...In fact probably the first fly any beginner does tie.

3) Someone else will bring up that some states have rules and licenses for folks "harvesting" live bugs from the stream...There may be an escape clause if you are using them for your own use, but don't sell them to anybody. Spence usually brings up the "wigglers" that are sold here in Michigan.

4) Jonathon will offer you a dozen KBF's at $29.95 plus shipping & handling.

I agree with Paul, for what my opinions worth, and I don't think it's such a big deal...Until maybe everyone's doing it...I've run in to a few guys that have been doing it on a river I fish for years and everything seems ok...

That should cover it I guess...Did I miss anything?

Spence

Think you covered it Spence.

I found one of these Dobson Flies in one of my windows the other night, and i have never seen one before i live in northeastern ohio. I kept it in a bug cage and it has laid eggs in there i don't know what i should do with it as far as releasing it by a pond or how to get the eggs out with out damaging them, or if i could give them to a bait shop that sells them the only problem is i have called over 20 bait shops and no one has ever sold them and few have heard of them... Any suggestions???

She's layed her eggs and will die. As to the eggs -your call. They supposedly hatch and then drop into the water. Might be interesting to put some (non-tap) water beneath them and see what happens. Might end up with the scariest pets on the block.