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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.

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella mucronata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.
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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GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Apr 9, 2008April 9th, 2008, 5:57 pm EDT
Bottoms up, pal. Just don't choke on a pimento!
Falsifly
Falsifly's profile picture
Hayward, WI.

Posts: 660
Falsifly on Apr 9, 2008April 9th, 2008, 6:03 pm EDT
Good night buddy and sweet dreams.
Falsifly
When asked what I just caught that monster on I showed him. He put on his magnifiers and said, "I can't believe they can see that."
Troutnut
Troutnut's profile picture
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Apr 9, 2008April 9th, 2008, 8:07 pm EDT
What are you slackers doing now? It's been 2 hours since the last post in this thread -- get to work! And don't give me any of that "it's 3am, and I am safe and asleep" silliness, either. I can see on my clock plain as day that it's only 11pm!
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Apr 10, 2008April 10th, 2008, 1:52 am EDT
Hillarylarious.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
JAD
JAD's profile picture
Alexandria Pa

Posts: 362
JAD on Apr 10, 2008April 10th, 2008, 5:03 am EDT
I like the (Falsifly) olive hatch -- drad I missed that hatch too.:)

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,
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Apr 10, 2008April 10th, 2008, 5:18 am EDT
John, don't despair. The olive hatch is known to be multi-brooded, meaning that partaking of it can be a season-long affair. On the bountiful gin-clear flow that Falsifly plies, it may well be a year-round encounter. ;)
Falsifly
Falsifly's profile picture
Hayward, WI.

Posts: 660
Falsifly on Apr 10, 2008April 10th, 2008, 6:34 am EDT
Gonzo- You have come up short on two points. Yes, it is multi-brooded but it is also multi-mooded. And, it is more than a year-round encounter it is a life-time endeavor.
Falsifly
When asked what I just caught that monster on I showed him. He put on his magnifiers and said, "I can't believe they can see that."
Getyourbone
Baldwin, WI

Posts: 28
Getyourbone on Apr 23, 2008April 23rd, 2008, 5:47 am EDT
Apparently the Fish in PA didn't think the BHO(bead headed Obama) looked good enough to eat. Seems the CCC(Cased Clinton Caddis) Worked better at least on the older rainbows and younger brookies. The Browns still liked the looks of the BHO. I guess something smelled a little fishy with Obama's line. I guess Clinton is a better imitator.

I wonder which one big mouth's would prefer.

By the way, Anyone have photo's of those patterns?



Trtklr
Banned
Michigan

Posts: 115
Trtklr on Jul 17, 2008July 17th, 2008, 10:20 am EDT
I have nothing to say.
I have seen nothing more beautiful than the sunrise on a cold stream.
RleeP
NW PA - Pennsylvania's Glacial Pothole Wonderland

Posts: 398
RleeP on Jul 17, 2008July 17th, 2008, 1:00 pm EDT
I don't think it would be a good idea for Mr. Obama to take up fly fishing. I'm worried if he does, the rest of the Windy City entourage will decide to follow suit. Then we'll have Rich Daley, Rod Blagoy..umm Rod Blagee..umm Rod Blagav...umm the Governor of Illinois, Gary Senise, Joan Cusack, R. Kelly and most worrisome of all, Mike Ditka all roaming around on our streams.

And somewhere along the lines, Ditka is all but certain to run into Joe Humphreys and that'll be like the asteroid Ceres colliding with the 3rd moon of Jupiter

I just don't think it would be good...
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Jul 17, 2008July 17th, 2008, 6:51 pm EDT
Scott, it's a wise man who knows when to leave well enough alone--wish I had the knack.

Lee, I wouldn't worry about Mike Ditka...umm, Mike Dyzcko...umm, dat guy dat played wit da Bears. I hear he's busy entertaining at his restaurant, smoking cigars, drinking wine, and (once again) trying to redefine what it means to be a tight end.
Flybyknight
Milton, DE

Posts: 82
Flybyknight on Jul 18, 2008July 18th, 2008, 12:02 pm EDT
I have nothing to say, except perhaps "JOAN WULFF FOR PRESIDENT"!

Dick
Lightly on the dimpling eddy fling;
the hypocritic fly's unruffled wing.
Thomas Scott
Troutnut
Troutnut's profile picture
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Jul 20, 2008July 20th, 2008, 4:09 pm EDT
Speaking of Ditka, here's a fun bit of trivia: When Obama's Republican opponent for U.S. senate got knocked out of the race by a scandal, and the Illinois Republicans were scrambling to find someone else to run against the new Dem superstar, they apparently asked Ditka to run and he turned them down.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

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