• WI Fly Fishing Home
• About WI Fly Fisherman
• WI Mayfly Hatch Chart
• Mayfly Hatches
  • Blue Wing Olives Hatch
  • Hendrickson Hatch
  • March Brown Hatch
  • Light Cahill Hatch
  • Hexagenia limbata Hatch
  • Brown Drake Hatch
  • Sulphur Mayfly Hatch
  • Mahogany Dun Hatch
  • Ephoron leukon Hatch
• Caddisflies
• Early Brown Stonefly
• Fly Tying
  • Tying Small Mayfly Nymphs
  • Brown Drake patterns
  • Hendrickson pattern
  • Hex Dry Fly pattern
  • Hares Ear Nymph
  • Winged Wet Flies
• WI Fly Fishing Shops
• WI Fly Fishing Guides
• WI Fly Fishing Forums
• Fly Fishing Links
• Fly Tying Supplies
• Contact WiFlyFisher
• Wisconsin Loon Call
• Release the Trout

Hendrickson Fly Patterns (Ephemerella subvaria)

One of the most prolific Wisconsin mayfly hatches is Ephemerella subvaria, also known as the Hendrickson mayfly hatch. These mayflies are very common on the northern Wisconsin freestone streams. They generally hatch sometime in late April to early May. I have personally witnessed the hatch as early as April 8th and the Hendrickson spinners at dusk into mid-May. For the Hendrickson hatch you definitely need to tie several different patterns and carry a good supply for when you hit the hatch in full swing.

Hendrickson Dry Fly Pattern

Hook: TMC 100 #12 & #14
Thread: Uni-thread 8/0 Rust Brown
Tail: Coq De Leon tail fibers
Body: Nature's Spirit #25 Pink Cahill
Wing: Fine deer hair (comparadun style) with grey Whiting dryfly hackle behind deer hair

Split the tail barbs and don't make the body too bulky.
For the dun I like to add 2 wraps of good dry fly hackle right behind the deer hair wing.
Clip the hackle underneath the body so the fly lays flush on the water.

Click here for my Hendrickson CDC and Deer Hair Comparadun pattern,,,

Back to the top of page

Hendrickson Nymph Pattern

For the nymph imitation I find a standard size #12 hare's ear nymph to work extremely well. I have also used a wiggle nymph, but it's a real hassle to tie a wiggle nymph that small. I also really like to use a Daiichi curved hook with pheasant tail fibers for the body, wingcase and tail for my Hendrickson nymph patterns.

Hook: Daiichi 1120 Size #14 & #12 or similar
Thread: Uni-thread 8/0 Dark Brown
Tail: Pheasant Tail
Body: Pheasant Tail with gold wire ribbing
Wingcase: Pheasant Tail or dark turkey quill
Thorax: Peacok Herl
Legs: English Grouse hackle or similar

Hendrickson Emerger Pattern

My favorite emerger pattern for the Hendrickson mayfly hatch is a CDC emerger, as shown below.

Hook: TMC 2488 size #14
Thread: Uni-thread 8/0 Burnt Orange or Tan
Tail: Brown Zelon and 3 Woodduck flank fibers
Rib: Fine gold wire
Body: 2 Pheasant Tail fibers twisted together
Wing: 2 Grey CDC feathers (from TroutHunt,.com)
Legs: Woodduck flank feathers or English Grouse hackle
Thorax: Nature's Spirit #25 Pink Cahill

Nature's Spirit color #25 matches the female dun Hendrickson beautifully.

The best spinner pattern I have found is the time-tested, red quill spinner.

Back to the top of page