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Lateral view of a Female Hexagenia limbata (Ephemeridae) (Hex) Mayfly Dun from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin
Hex Mayflies
Hexagenia limbata

The famous nocturnal Hex hatch of the Midwest (and a few other lucky locations) stirs to the surface mythically large brown trout that only touch streamers for the rest of the year.

Dorsal view of a Zapada cinctipes (Nemouridae) (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
Nymphs of this species were fairly common in late-winter kick net samples from the upper Yakima River. Although I could not find a key to species of Zapada nymphs, a revision of the Nemouridae family by Baumann (1975) includes the following helpful sentence: "2 cervical gills on each side of midline, 1 arising inside and 1 outside of lateral cervical sclerites, usually single and elongate, sometimes constricted but with 3 or 4 branches arising beyond gill base in Zapada cinctipes." This specimen clearly has the branches and is within the range of that species.
27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.
Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or support the project for an enhanced experience here.

Updates from August 14, 2004

Updates from August 14, 2004

Photos by Troutnut from the Namekagon River and in Wisconsin and

A black bear cub stares down at me from a large pine near one of my favorite trout streams.

From McNaught Road, near the upper Namekagon in Wisconsin
A black bear cub shimmies down a tree trunk near one of my favorite trout streams.

From McNaught Road, near the upper Namekagon in Wisconsin
A 19-inch smallmouth puts a hefty bend in my 5-weight.

From the Namekagon River below Hayward in Wisconsin
The 5 am mist rises off a classic hole on a favorite river. I'd just spent the last few hours of that moonless night working this hole with big pusher flies in the pitch black darkness, running on caffeine until about 4:15 and adrenaline from that point on, after feeling a whale of a brown trout on my line for about 15 seconds. Unfortunately the fish spit the hook, but it was an unforgettable experience.

Closeup insects by Troutnut from Miscellaneous Wisconsin and the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

Male Heptageniidae (March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons) Mayfly Dun from unknown in Wisconsin
Male Hexagenia atrocaudata (Ephemeridae) (Late Hex) Mayfly Spinner from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin
I found this spinner and a few of his friends bobbing above the river amidst a snowstorm hatch of white Ephoron flies.

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