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.
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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.
— 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.
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Wbranch on Jan 2, 2021January 2nd, 2021, 3:51 am EST
It is a beautiful fly but in all my experiences with the PMD I have never seen any bigger than a #14 with the vast majority being #16 - #18. As soon as I heard the tier say he was going to use a #12 long shank hook I lost interest in watching the video. I lost interest because while it is a beautiful fly it has many steps and materials and while it would be relatively easy for a skilled tier to construct one on a #12 hook it will be much more difficult on a more typical standard length #16 nymph hook.
I have found a very effective, and much easier to tie, PMD nymph to be the split back style. There are numerous tutorials on YouTube.
I have found a very effective, and much easier to tie, PMD nymph to be the split back style. There are numerous tutorials on YouTube.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
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Dec 4, 2014
by CaseyP
by CaseyP
