The first week of June arrives with a profound stillness, yet the natural world is bursting with new life. Everywhere around us we are reminded of these precious days of June: a newly-born fawn lying still in the grass, an ancient turtle lumbering slowly as it navigates through the meadow. We arrive at our destination, our senses filled by the vibrant green canopy filtering the early morning sun, the banks lush with greenery, the dawn symphony of warbles and melodies, a mother goose and her fuzzy goslings gliding by. Stream flows begin the quiet ebb of their seasonal shift, and beneath the glassy surface the trout await. Standing knee-deep in the cool mountain stream offers a tranquil, meditative environment; witnessing nature at its vibrant yet peaceful state.
These are the days of a rich diversity of aquatic insects that thrive in a healthy ecosystem: the tiny Blue-Winged Olives, large March Browns and giant Green Drakes, the deep dark Blue Sedge caddis flies and light-colored Sulphurs, and Isonychias. The arrival of “Drunella cornutus”, similar in appearance to large Blue-Winged Olives, has been heralded early in the mornings. Flies that may be productive to use, in addition to imitations of those named above, include the Adams, various Caddis imitations, White Wulffs and Coffin Flies, which imitate the Eastern Green Drake (mayflies) in their final, spent stage, referred to as Spinners.
The spinner stage of mayflies, also called the “imago”, is the final mature phase of the adult mayfly’s life cycle, having molted for the last time from its “dun” or “sub-imago” state. Observing the gracefulness of these flies that are now emerging to fulfill their procreative cycle adds to the experience, as spinners are identified by their clear, glass-like wings and elongated body.