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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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Updates from June 9, 2006

On-stream insect photos by Troutnut from Miscellaneous Wisconsin in Wisconsin

These caddisflies were thick over the water in the evening on a cold, clear northwoods lake.  They were in many places on the lake, all closer to the shady shore, which also was the shore most sheltered from the wind.  I'm not sure which of those features attracted them.

From Lake Owen in Wisconsin
This is Nectopsyche albida.  Elongate wing connotes female.

From Lake Owen in Wisconsin

Updates from June 8, 2006

Photos by Troutnut from Lake Superior and the Marengo River in Wisconsin

This is the shore of a beautiful island in Lake Superior.  To the left is a narrow channel leading to a a large, shallow bay.

From Big Bay on Madeline Island in Lake Superior in Wisconsin
This is one of my favorite small-stream pools because it's so fishable.  The little stream holds brookies, browns, and rainbows in equal number, never spectacular, but there's always a little something.

From the Marengo River above Four Corners Store Road in Wisconsin
The Marengo River above Four Corners Store Road in Wisconsin
A family of geese take a drink from Lake Superior.  They then swam out effortlessly into the high breaking waves and foiled the retrieving efforts of somebody's ambitious dog.

From Big Bay on Madeline Island in Lake Superior in Wisconsin
This is the gentle side of Lake Superior, a beautiful backwater bay.

From Big Bay on Madeline Island in Lake Superior in Wisconsin
The Marengo River above Four Corners Store Road in Wisconsin

Updates from June 7, 2006

Photos by Troutnut

I strike at a hit in an inviting piece of dry fly water.
This beautiful little rainbow trout was feeding in late afternoon in the narrow tail of a reliable flat.
A trout stream decoration.
Cedar sweepers like these are a casting challenge and a trout paradise.
Forget-me-nots spread out over the midstream logs in a beautiful spring-fed, stable piece of trout stream.
This fun little brown trout was one of many caught during an evening of excellent caddisfly activity.

Updates from June 6, 2006

On-stream insect photos by Troutnut

This little leafhopper (also called a jassid by anglers) had apparently just emerged from its nymph.

Updates from May 14, 2006

Closeup insects by Bnewell from Lolo Creek in Montana

Sweltsa (Chloroperlidae) (Sallfly) Stonefly Adult from Lolo Creek in Montana
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