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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.

We were lucky to be able to fish through this storm as it skirted around us to the north, giving us just enough clouds to prompt a BWO hatch but keeping the lighting at a safe distance.

From Slough Creek in Wyoming

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Setvena wahkeena (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph Setvena wahkeena (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Setvena wahkeena (Perlodidae) (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington

As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.

7 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.

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Canoe float down the Brule with my mom

Canoe float down the Brule with my mom

By Troutnut on June 8th, 2005

This was a great trip down the classic trout water of the Brule, fishing and collecting bugs along the way. In one of the lakes, we got to watch the cutest little bear cub brutally maul the cutest little whitetail fawn—a salient reminder that nature doesn't particularly care about cuteness.

Photos by Troutnut from the Bois Brule River and in Wisconsin and

Here I'm looking through the sampling net for interesting nymphs, some of which ended up on this site.

From the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

Cedar sweepers line the fertile spring creek headwaters of a famous trout stream.

From the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

Here I'm tying on a fly in the middle of a warm summer day. Despite the conditions, the trout responded well.

From the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

Gnarled cedars twist out over a nice trout stream.

From the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

This tail end of a large glassy flat holds many nice rising trout most summer evenings, and it's extremely demanding of both stealth and fine casting.

From the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

The Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

Lone tree on a rock in the middle of Big Lake. Fittingly, Big Lake is the largest of several short wide spots in the upper Brule River.

From the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

A Canada goose and gosling poke their heads out of the grass along a trout stream.

A canada goose looks over some large, downy goslings.

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

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Male Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Male Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Nymph from the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

This male nymph is probably in its final instar. The wing pads are extremely black and the large turbinate eyes are very apparent inside the nymph's head.

6
Teloganopsis deficiens (Little Black Quill) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Teloganopsis deficiens (Ephemerellidae) (Little Black Quill) Mayfly Nymph from the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

This nymph has tiny, barely detectable tubercles on its abdominal segments, and I could not find the maxillary palpi. I tentatively guessed that it is Serratella deficiens back when that was a thing; the species is now known as Teloganopsis deficiens. One of the key characteristics, tarsal claws with a subapical denticle being larger than the preceding denticles, seems to be visible in some of the pictures.

6
Ephemerella needhami (Little Dark Hendrickson) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella needhami (Ephemerellidae) (Little Dark Hendrickson) Mayfly Nymph from the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

I photographed three strange striped Ephemerella nymphs from the same trip on the same river: this one, a brown one, and a very very striped one. I have tentatively put them all in Ephemerella needhami for now.

3
Stenonema vicarium (March Brown) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Stenonema vicarium (Heptageniidae) (March Brown) Mayfly Nymph from the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

I keyed this nymph to Stenonema fuscom, which is now synonymized with Maccaffertium vicarium. However, the size, markings, and time of year make me very skeptical of this identification.

5
Ephemerella excrucians (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella excrucians (Ephemerellidae) (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph from the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

I spent a while with a microscope to fairly positively identify this specimen as Ephemerella excrucians.

4
Leucrocuta hebe (Little Yellow Quill) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Leucrocuta hebe (Heptageniidae) (Little Yellow Quill) Mayfly Nymph from the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

3
Ephemerella needhami (Little Dark Hendrickson) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella needhami (Ephemerellidae) (Little Dark Hendrickson) Mayfly Nymph from the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

I photographed three strange striped Ephemerella nymphs from the same trip on the same river: a black and olive one, a brown one, and this one. I have tentatively put them all in Ephemerella needhami for now.

2
Ephemerella needhami (Little Dark Hendrickson) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella needhami (Ephemerellidae) (Little Dark Hendrickson) Mayfly Nymph from the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

I photographed three strange striped Ephemerella nymphs from the same trip on the same river: a black and olive one, this one, and a very very striped one. I have tentatively put them all in Ephemerella needhami for now.

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