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.

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

Stream photos

Featured on the forum

Re: Trico emergers
In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Bwoklink (Martinlf replied)

Re: Trico Tips
In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Martinlf

Re: UV spectrum and trout
In General Discussion by Martinlf

Re: closing the gender gap in flyfishing
In General Discussion by Konchu (Smallflyguy replied)

Re: Fishing Kupa River, Slovenia
In Fishing Reports by Slocum (Fish1 replied)

Doroneuria baumanni (Golden Stone) Stonefly Nymph Doroneuria baumanni (Golden Stone) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Doroneuria baumanni (Perlidae) (Golden Stone) Stonefly Nymph from Sears Creek in Washington

9 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.

Mayfly Species Anthopotamus verticis (Golden Drakes)

Where & when

In 38 records from GBIF, adults of this species have mostly been collected during June (55%), July (32%), and August (8%).

In 1 record from GBIF, this species has been collected at elevation of 618 ft.

Species Range

source

Map of specific collection sites

Physical description

Most physical descriptions on Troutnut are direct or slightly edited quotes from the original scientific sources describing or updating the species, although there may be errors in copying them to this website. Such descriptions aren't always definitive, because species often turn out to be more variable than the original describers observed. In some cases, only a single specimen was described! However, they are useful starting points.

Male Spinner

Described in Needham et al (1935) as Potamanthus diaphanus

Body length: 8-10 mm
Wing length: 9.5 mm

A pale species; wings of male wholly pale, tail joinings not darker; no abdominal markings.

Head and thorax pale yellowish white. Eyes and ocelli black. “Tips of femora, tarsi and tibiae very faintly infuscated, a subapical inferior spot on the fore tibia being more distinct” (Needham). Wings hyaline whitish. Abdomen pale yellowish white, the tergites “with a satiny sheen.” Tails white, joinings not noticeably darker.

According to Argo, the wings of both sexes are wholly pale, and the eyes of the males rather large, separated by a distance not greater than diameter of one eye. The species seems to be distinct from others in the genus.

Start a Discussion of Anthopotamus verticis

References

Caucci, Al and Nastasi, Bob. 2004. Hatches II. The Lyons Press.
Needham, James G., Jay R. Traver, and Yin-Chi Hsu. 1935. The Biology of Mayflies. Comstock Publishing Company, Inc.