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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.

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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This topic is about the Caddisfly Genus Chimarra

Chimarra aterrima is the most important species.

Example specimens

Frankcoz
Posts: 1
Frankcoz on Mar 27, 2008March 27th, 2008, 12:31 am EDT
Seems like dead drifting the pupa pattern during the emergence time is a good way to fish this before the adults are on the water.

Does the pupa retain the orange color of the larva or do they have the color of the adult?
JAD
JAD's profile picture
Alexandria Pa

Posts: 362
JAD on Mar 27, 2008March 27th, 2008, 2:33 am EDT


I think you have the right idea, I tie it with Golden stone fly dub with a peacock head size 18 and 20 .

John


They fasten red (crimson red) wool around a hook, and fix onto the wool two feathers which grow under a cock’s wattles, and which in colour are like wax.
Radcliffe's Fishing from the Earliest Times,
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Mar 27, 2008March 27th, 2008, 11:55 am EDT
I think the pupa itself is dark. For the larvae orange or golden is great, for the pupa I like a little peacock and starling wet fly.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Zap
Call it albany ny

Posts: 4
Zap on Mar 28, 2008March 28th, 2008, 1:53 pm EDT
I've had some luck with a small 18 quill larva. It appears somewhat tannish --with a brown head and ginger hackle. I'm not sure if it's the pupa for the chimmara but it 's gotten some fish during the time thses flies are to be expected. I used stems from hen hackles for the body. TZ
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Apr 5, 2008April 5th, 2008, 2:53 pm EDT
Frankcoz, as a good general rule, the body color of a caddisfly pupa will be about the same as that of a freshly hatched adult. This is because what fly fishers call a "pupa" is technically a pharate adult. However, it is also good to keep in mind that caddisfly adults often darken considerably over time, so "aged" specimens shouldn't be used as models for pupal patterns.
Peregrines
Posts: 2
Peregrines on Apr 5, 2012April 5th, 2012, 8:59 am EDT
A couple years too late for the original poster by for others that might be curious....

As Gonzo points out emerging pupae have the color of the adult. For imitating the Chimera hatch LaFontaine recommends:
Larva: Yellow caddis larva
Pupa: Black Deep or Black Emergent Sparkle Pupa
Adult: Black Dancing Caddis or Thompson's Foam Caddis
Egg layer: Black Diving Caddis

mark
Entoman
Entoman's profile picture
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Apr 5, 2012April 5th, 2012, 11:08 am EDT
Mark,

As Gonzo points out emerging pupae have the color of the adult

You left out a very important part of that quote. Freshly hatched adults are very different in color from the adults that have been around awhile. It's the latter trout usually see most often.
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman

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