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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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.

I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.

The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.

Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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.
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Grannom
Northwest PA

Posts: 87
Grannom on Oct 7, 2007October 7th, 2007, 1:14 pm EDT
Mr. RleeP...some pics from back "home"

I was out Saturday and hooked up with the first chrome of the season. The water is low and clear, and it's hot, but things are supposed to change this week. 50 degree temps and rain Tuesday through Saturday.



A nice fish baking in the 85 degree heat


Walnut


A chromer, on the smaller side

Mike
"Be calm - you're there..." "...Tell yourself there's no rush, even if there is."

-John Gierach
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Oct 7, 2007October 7th, 2007, 2:47 pm EDT
Hard to be calm with a fish like that on the end of the line. Nice pics. I couldn't get the last one to load, though.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Luc384
Belgium / zoersel

Posts: 14
Luc384 on Oct 7, 2007October 7th, 2007, 11:30 pm EDT
Hi,
Beautifull pics!
Very nice fish
Kind regards from,
Luc
The worst day fishing is still better than the best day at work!!
www.flyfishingpassion.net
Grannom
Northwest PA

Posts: 87
Grannom on Oct 8, 2007October 8th, 2007, 1:40 am EDT
Thanks Guys...Martin, it should work now.
"Be calm - you're there..." "...Tell yourself there's no rush, even if there is."

-John Gierach
Smallstream
State College, PA

Posts: 103
Smallstream on Oct 8, 2007October 8th, 2007, 6:40 am EDT
Sweet, Is it in full swing now or does there need to be more rain?
Grannom
Northwest PA

Posts: 87
Grannom on Oct 8, 2007October 8th, 2007, 8:06 am EDT
Deffinatly not in full swing. It has been near 90 degrees the past few days and we need rain. Both of those will change this week, with highs only in the 50's and rain through Saturday.

You cannot count on catching a fish right now. You very may well, but there's no guarantee.

Do you come up to fishing in Erie?

Mike
"Be calm - you're there..." "...Tell yourself there's no rush, even if there is."

-John Gierach
Smallstream
State College, PA

Posts: 103
Smallstream on Oct 9, 2007October 9th, 2007, 6:47 am EDT
I definetley want to sometime in november hopefully, its pretty cool even though it gets kind of crowded. It seems like crooked creek is the best one in terms of fish/crowds ratio, what do you think?
Grannom
Northwest PA

Posts: 87
Grannom on Oct 9, 2007October 9th, 2007, 8:11 am EDT
I've actually never fished crooked, but know alot of people who do. I can usually find nice water to myself and maybe another fisherman on elk by just walking. Elk is my favourite stream in Erie. You may also want to try 20 mile on the east side..it's a little smaller than elk and walnut, but holds alot of fish and slightly fewer fisherman.

Let me know when/if you plan on coming up and I'll be glad to help you out with some more current info.
"Be calm - you're there..." "...Tell yourself there's no rush, even if there is."

-John Gierach
RleeP
NW PA - Pennsylvania's Glacial Pothole Wonderland

Posts: 398
RleeP on Oct 10, 2007October 10th, 2007, 12:35 pm EDT
Hi Mike.. Sorry for the delay in seeing your note here. I could only get the middle pic to load. If that's Elk Creek, it's really suckin' dust.
Low...

I'll be home a couple times before Christmas. We're gradually phasing my parents out of their house and into assisted living before my Dad drives through the side of somebody's barn....:)

So, I have to come back to help with that.

Maybe you and I and that long-legged insurance guy can hook up and have at them..
Davez
Pennsylvania

Posts: 59
Davez on Oct 11, 2007October 11th, 2007, 4:58 am EDT
grannom and RLeep, what part of erie are you from?

I grew up in Waterford and lived there until 10 years ago. Mom and family still live there, so I get back often. I must say, steelhead isn't what it used to be. I really don't enjoy the experience as much as I used to. Just overcrowding. of course, living there and visiting there presents two very different situations. as a local, you could go down righ twhen you knew it was going to be good, before all the folks from pittsburgh could drive up! but hey, its always fun to catch a few big fish, right?

Now if i go up, i go early in the morning on a calm day and float tube the lake. you have never caught a steelhead until you caught one on a fly in the lake.

Have fun!
RleeP
NW PA - Pennsylvania's Glacial Pothole Wonderland

Posts: 398
RleeP on Oct 11, 2007October 11th, 2007, 6:42 am EDT
>>grannom and RLeep, what part of erie are you from?

I grew up in Waterford and lived there until 10 years ago.>>

Hi Dave..

I too, grew up in Waterford. Well, actually in one of the suburbs...:)

Down in LeBoeuf Gardens, just north of the fairgrounds on the west side of US 19.

Since everybody kinda knows everybody there, I'm curious now.

I'll shoot you a PM and tell you more, if I can figure out how to do it.

Anyhow, re: the steelhead fishery. I have to agree that it isn't what it was. Oh, the fish are still there and perhaps there are even more than there ever were before. But the zoo atmosphere that has developed over the past 15 years is disheartening, to me at any rate. Or maybe I'm just getting to be an old grump. That's possible too....:)

IMO, they'll be lucky not to lose it to privatization and (understandably) disgruntled landowners. It really is unique though.

Grannom
Northwest PA

Posts: 87
Grannom on Oct 11, 2007October 11th, 2007, 9:20 am EDT
I updated the pics.

Dave, I live in McKean, the town, not county. I completely understand what you are saying about the fishery, and I really don't want to go in depth on it right now. I'm sure that I will sooner or later, but not now.

Bob, I should be fishing most of the weekend, I may give Erik a call to see if he's interested in joining me. Conditions should be much better. It's 50 degrees now and raining. Has been since Monday and that's all I see on the 10 day.

Mike
"Be calm - you're there..." "...Tell yourself there's no rush, even if there is."

-John Gierach
RleeP
NW PA - Pennsylvania's Glacial Pothole Wonderland

Posts: 398
RleeP on Oct 11, 2007October 11th, 2007, 10:29 am EDT
Wow! Nice fish, Mike!

And more than that, really good pics.

You're making me homesick...:)
Davez
Pennsylvania

Posts: 59
Davez on Oct 12, 2007October 12th, 2007, 5:52 am EDT
Mike,

I know exactly where you live. Nice pics. i lived over yonder in waterford.

Ive fished upper elk alot, but mostly the east side.

I love those smaller hens. amn, they have afight in them.

Bob, check your messages... kind afunny, but we met about 15 years ago.

Dave
Grannom
Northwest PA

Posts: 87
Grannom on Oct 12, 2007October 12th, 2007, 8:16 am EDT
The 3-5 lb hens are a blast. They usually jump while your fighting them, but I think this one would have knocked itself out on the shale bottom (It's that low)
"Be calm - you're there..." "...Tell yourself there's no rush, even if there is."

-John Gierach

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