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.

The Middle Fork of the Koyukuk River in Alaska

Stream photos

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Zapada cinctipes (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph Zapada cinctipes (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Zapada cinctipes (Nemouridae) (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

Nymphs of this species were fairly common in late-winter kick net samples from the upper Yakima River. Although I could not find a key to species of Zapada nymphs, a revision of the Nemouridae family by Baumann (1975) includes the following helpful sentence: "2 cervical gills on each side of midline, 1 arising inside and 1 outside of lateral cervical sclerites, usually single and elongate, sometimes constricted but with 3 or 4 branches arising beyond gill base in Zapada cinctipes." This specimen clearly has the branches and is within the range of that species.

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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.

Tecniques for early season Lakers

Raybob
Posts: 2

Raybob on Apr 16, 2008April 16th, 2008, 12:32 am EDT

I am up in the North Kingdom of Vermont. Have never fished for Lake Trout. Can anyone give me a few pointers for early in the season right after the ice is gone.

Martinlf

Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047

Martinlf on Apr 16, 2008April 16th, 2008, 9:29 am EDT

I'm not sure. Streamers in the shallow water?

"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell

Joec
portsmouth, nh

Posts: 8

Joec on Apr 16, 2008April 16th, 2008, 2:56 pm EDT

Follow the smelt, usually lakers will be nearby. It just seems though that lakers rarely venture into shallow water even in the early spring. Try to find water that is close to 30' deep adjacent to a small feeder brook which the smelt will use for spawning. Another great place to find lakers would be rocky shoals, again adjacent to deeper water is key. As for flies, any streamer that imitates a smelt can be effective. If you decide to troll, it is imperative that you troll slowly, in the range of .5 to 1 mile per hour. A controlled drift works too. I'd suggest that you find a lake that produces large numbers of fish rather than lunkers. It helps with the learning curve. You might try Seymour lake. Good Luck!