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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.
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Lateral view of a Female Leucrocuta hebe (Heptageniidae) (Little Yellow Quill) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York
I found this dun on the same piece of stream as a similar spinner, probably of the same species.
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Oct 6, 2006October 6th, 2006, 6:39 am EDT
Haven't checked any keys to verify, but most of the little late-season Cahill-looking duns are Leucrocuta. If I had to guess at the species, I'd say hebe (Little Yellow Quill). It is probably the most common L. spp. in the East and has a long hatching period that extends well into the fall.

I would also agree that the spinner you photographed is the same species.

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