Aug 1, 201208:36 AMCup of Joe
Your weekly dose of strange parenting news, trends, and polls
Do you fear "The Hatch?"
It sounds like a campy horror movie from the ‘80s: Millions of tiny flying insects emerging from the river in swarms clinging to unsuspecting citizens hair, clothing and skin, as they invade local towns during the last few weeks in July and early August—a time best known as The Hatch.
While the thought of being surrounded by swarms of insects is enough to keep some families away from the banks of the Susquehanna and nearby creeks such as the Yellow Breeches, I’ve grown to enjoy the swarm that comes once every year.
The hatch consists of hordes of harmless mayflies, destined to live out their entire lifespan in less than 24 hours—and often in as little as 30 minutes. Don’t believe me? Visit any nearby gas station the morning after a good hatch and you will be treated to a lovely chorus of crunches and pops as you walk around the pumps and step on the bugs.
The reason I like the hatch so much isn’t because I enjoy traipsing through the mayflies—although The Mayfly Man is kind of a cool nickname—it’s because of the fishing.
Just last week, our family ventured out into the waters of the Susquehanna, equipped with a canoe and fishing rods. My younger sister reeled in eight catfish, thoroughly whomping the one measly fish that I caught. The mayflies help get fish stirred up and active at this time of year, making this a great opportunity for families to head out to the water with rods and bait. Sure there are some bugs flying around, but for families who enjoy fishing, the mayfly hatch is an event not to be missed!
Have you seen the mayfly hatch coming off of the river? Share your experience in our comments section below:
Email
Print
Feed
