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.

I spent more than an hour casting to several rising trout in this pool and caught only two. Its clear water and tricky currents harbor dozens of free-rising, usually very hard-to-catch fish.

From Enfield Creek in New York

Stream photos

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Zapada cinctipes (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph Zapada cinctipes (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph

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.

13 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.

Pseudo-Gray Drakes

This common name refers to only one family. Click its scientific name to learn more.

Mayfly Family Metretopodidae

These are pretty much always called Pseudo-Gray Drakes.

The mayflies of this family are large and elegant as adults and among the fastest-swimming of all mayfly species as nymphs. Sadly only one species (Siphloplecton basale) has been reported to produce fishable hatches, and even those are exceedingly rare.

Male Siphloplecton basale (Pseudo-Gray Drake) Mayfly Dun

5 Pictures

Lateral view of a Male Siphloplecton basale (Metretopodidae) (Pseudo-Gray Drake) Mayfly Dun from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

This one hatched on the same April Saturday that I saw the first Hendricksons of the season.

Collected April 23, 2004 from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

Added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Collected April 23, 2004 from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin and added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Male Siphloplecton basale (Pseudo-Gray Drake) Mayfly Spinner

6 Pictures

Lateral view of a Male Siphloplecton basale (Metretopodidae) (Pseudo-Gray Drake) Mayfly Spinner from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

I went to great comical lengths to swipe this spinner from the air with a little aquarium net I carry with me while I'm fishing. Siphloplecton basale spinners fly fast and high over the riffles, and there are never very many of them, so they're difficult to catch.

Collected May 7, 2004 from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

Added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Collected May 7, 2004 from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin and added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Siphloplecton basale (Pseudo-Gray Drake) Mayfly Nymph

4 Pictures

Siphloplecton basale (Metretopodidae) (Pseudo-Gray Drake) Mayfly Nymph from unknown in Wisconsin

This nymph has double front tarsal claws and double gills on the first three abdominal segments.

Collected February 29, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin

Added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Collected February 29, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin and added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

See 8 more specimens...

References

Baumann, Richard W. 1975. Revision of the Stonefly Family Nemouridae (plecoptera) : a Study Of The World Fauna At The Generic Level. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology undef(211): 1-74.