French Partridge Mayfly
French Partridge are not the largest mayflies of the summer hatches but they are certainly much bigger than the early Blue Winged olive and Blue Dun hatches of early spring. They belong to the Ephemeridae family mayflies. They have all a deserved reputation for producing great hatches that can entice large lurker trout to leave their lays and feed greedily on the hatching Drakes. When they do hatch their emergence is not a subtle event. After breaking through the surface film and their nymphal shucks these large duns struggle frantically to get off the water. This makes them very conspicuous and easy prey for both birds and trout. They float for long distances waiting for their wings to fill with blood. When the wings are fully inflated and dry these duns flutter furiously as they try to lift their large bodies into the air. This fluttering action often is the trigger for some violent strikes.
As nymphs all three species prefer slow moving water that has a river bed of fine sand, gravels or silt. During a hatch you will find the greatest concentration in these same areas. The slow moving water gives the trout a very clear view of it's target. The Yellow Drake is the last of the three Drakes to emerge.
