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.

Looking across Island Lake toward the Titcomb Basin—one of the popular crown jewels of the Wind River Mountains

From Island Lake in Wyoming

Stream photos

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Onocosmoecus (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Onocosmoecus (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Lateral view of a Onocosmoecus (Limnephilidae) (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This specimen keys pretty easily to Onocosmoecus, and it closely resembles a specimen from Alaska which caddis expert Dave Ruiter recognized as this genus. As with that specimen, the only species in the genus documented in this area is Onocosmoecus unicolor, but Dave suggested for that specimen that there might be multiple not-yet-distinguished species under the unicolor umbrella and it would be best to stick with the genus-level ID. I'm doing the same for this one.

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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.

Updates from April 9, 2007

Closeup insects by Troutnut from Mystery Creek #62 in New York

Male Stictochironomus Midge Adult

11 Pictures

Lateral view of a Male Stictochironomus (Chironomidae) Midge Adult from Mystery Creek #62 in New York

This midge and several like it, including a female I also photographed, hatched from larvae which were living in some fine mud I'm using as substrate in my bug-rearing aquarium.

Collected April 9, 2007 from Mystery Creek #62 in New York

Added by Troutnut on April 10, 2007

Collected April 9, 2007 from Mystery Creek #62 in New York and added by Troutnut on April 10, 2007

Female Chironomidae (Midge) True Fly Adult

5 Pictures

This midge and several like it, including a male I also photographed, hatched from larvae which were living in some fine mud I'm using as substrate in my bug-rearing aquarium. This one flew away before I could photograph it on the ruler, but it would have measured slightly smaller than the male.

Collected April 9, 2007 from Mystery Creek #62 in New York

Added by Troutnut on April 10, 2007

Collected April 9, 2007 from Mystery Creek #62 in New York and added by Troutnut on April 10, 2007