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.

Stream photos

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Holocentropus Caddisfly Larva Holocentropus Caddisfly Larva

Dorsal view of a Holocentropus (Polycentropodidae) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This one seems to tentatively key to Holocentropus, although I can't make out the anal spines in Couplet 7 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae nor the dark bands in Couplet 4 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae, making me wonder if I went wrong somewhere in keying it out. I don't see where that could have happened, though. It might also be that it's a very immature larva and doesn't possess all the identifying characteristics in the key yet. If Holocentropus is correct, then Holocentropus flavus and Holocentropus interruptus are the two likely possibilities based on range, but I was not able to find a description of their larvae.

11 Recently Added Photos

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.

Quick morning on the North Fork Couer d'Alene (CDA) River

By Troutnut on June 24th, 2019

I left Seattle in the evening on June 24th with a friend who had flown down from Alaska to join me on a Montana trip, and we drove late into the night to camp along the NF CDA and be ready to fish in the morning as a break in the long drive to Montana. We didn't get to sleep until around 2am, but we still got up fairly early (for me, that's 8am) and hit the water. We fished through a few good pools before any fish stirred, and the action gradually heated up throughout the morning. The campground host later laughed at our early start and verified that it's generally not worth being out there until the sun heats the water at that time of year.

No really big fish showed themselves, but there was fine action on small to mid-sized Westslope Cutthroat, and it was only getting better when we had to tear ourselves away from the water at 2pm to complete the long drive to Yellowstone.

Photos by Troutnut from the North Fork Couer d'Alene River in Idaho

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the North Fork Couer d'Alene River in Idaho

Female Alloperla (Sallfly) Stonefly Adult

7 Pictures

Lateral view of a Female Alloperla (Chloroperlidae) (Sallfly) Stonefly Adult from the North Fork Couer d'Alene River in Idaho

These little green stoneflies were the most common bug on a June day fishing the North Fork Couer d'Alene, although the trout never rose more than sporadically to them or anything else.

Collected June 24, 2019 from the North Fork Couer d'Alene River in Idaho

Added by Troutnut on July 17, 2019

Collected June 24, 2019 from the North Fork Couer d'Alene River in Idaho and added by Troutnut on July 17, 2019