Michigan Flies

Hatches / mayfly

Gray Drake

A

Siphlonurus quebecensis (also S. alternatus, S. rapidus)

Also called Siphlonurus, Early Gray Drake, Late Gray Drake.

Michigan's signature spinner-only hatch: nymphs crawl out on shore to emerge, so the dun stage is not imitated and the whole game is the dusk spinner fall over riffled water. Most important on the Pere Marquette and Muskegon, where spinner flights occur every evening from the third week of May into July, but Gray Drakes occur on most Michigan trout streams including the Boardman and Pine. Fish Ed McCoy's Real McCoy Gray Drake Spinner or a slim-tied #10-12 Adams from 7 pm to dark, and watch for trout targeting mating doubles. Swim a gray Siphlonurus nymph through slow water near wood earlier in the day.

#8–12eveningdusknymphspinnergray body with pale bandingwhite stripe around the headclear wing (spinner)

© Barbara Horsley · CC BY · iNaturalist · Branch, MI · 2026

Timing by region

  1. Southeast Lower Peninsula
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    May 6 – Jul 1
    Peak
    May 18 – May 24
  2. Southwest Lower Peninsula
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    May 10 – Jul 5
    Peak
    May 22 – May 28
  3. Northeast Lower Peninsula
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    May 20 – Jul 15
    Peak
    Jun 1 – Jun 7
  4. Northwest Lower Peninsula
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    May 20 – Jul 15
    Peak
    Jun 1 – Jun 7
  5. Upper Peninsula
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    Jun 10 – Aug 5
    Peak
    Jun 22 – Jun 28
  6. Muskegon River below Croton Damlocal chart
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    May 15 – Jul 21
    Peak
    —

Flies that match

Adams (and Parachute Adams) (reference photo)Reference photo
Adams (and Parachute Adams)
A
Dry fly#10–20Gray (standard)Slim-bodied #10-12 for Gray Drake

Michigan's own fly, born on the Boardman, and still the default searching dry on every river in the state. Hawkins recommends a slim-tied #10 to #12 Adams for Gray Drake spinner falls at dusk on the Pere Marquette and Muskegon, and smaller sizes pass for most gray-winged mayflies from April through October.

Dry fly

Reserve · $3.00
Real McCoy Gray Drake Spinner
A
Dry fly#8–12Gray body with white head stripe, clear wings

Gray Drake nymphs crawl out to emerge, so the spinner is the only stage worth imitating, and this is the Michigan pattern for it. Spinner flights happen every evening from 7 pm until dark from the third week of May through July on the Muskegon and Pere Marquette, and in June on most northern rivers. Fish it over riffly current where the mating swarms drop.

Dry fly

Reserve · $3.00
Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear (reference photo)Reference photo
Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear
A
Nymph#8–18NaturalOliveBeadhead

The generalist buggy nymph for Michigan's clinger mayflies and caddis pupae, and MidCurrent lists a #10 to #14 Hare's Ear among winter steelhead nymphs. Dead-drift it under an indicator all season for trout, and as a trailer behind an egg or stonefly for steelhead.

Indicator nymphing · Euro / tight-line nymphing

Reserve · $2.75