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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It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.
I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.
The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.
Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.
The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.
Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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GoofusBug
Posts: 31
Posts: 31
GoofusBug on Jan 6, 2009January 6th, 2009, 2:39 pm EST
So I am reading an old 1950s era fishing book by Maynard Reece. Great illustrations.
In the flies section, Maynard gives equal time to dries, wets, nymphs, streamers and terrestrials.
These days I seem to hear of fishermen using everything but the wet flies. The classic silver doctor or mormon girl patterns have gone by the wayside. About the only "wet flies" I hear being used are soft hackles.
Any wet fly afishyanados out there?
In the flies section, Maynard gives equal time to dries, wets, nymphs, streamers and terrestrials.
These days I seem to hear of fishermen using everything but the wet flies. The classic silver doctor or mormon girl patterns have gone by the wayside. About the only "wet flies" I hear being used are soft hackles.
Any wet fly afishyanados out there?
Wetfly1 on Jan 7, 2009January 7th, 2009, 2:41 am EST
Yea, there is a lot of articles being written about the soft hackles and they have become very popular all over. And they are great fish takers and not to mention easy to tie. I have been fishing just nothing but wet flies for the last 20yrs and my patterns are a cross between a traditional wet and a soft hackle wet. What I've done is taken older wet fly patterns and some that I have created myself and tweaked them to my tying style and produced some pretty good results on the stream. But I still carry a few soft hackles with me. If your interested in checking out some different wet flies go to my website they might give you a few new ideas.
Softhackle on Jan 7, 2009January 7th, 2009, 2:36 pm EST
Hi,
I fish a lot of wets, too. Wingless wets are my bread and butter. The reason? Because they are so versatile. You can fish them upstream. downstream in the surface or just below. You can fish them from bottom to top.
Here is an article I did for another site, but it's a good one to get started on.
Best of luck in your endeavors with the wet flies. If I can help in any way, let me know.
Mark
Wet Flies Revisited
PS-Maynard Reece is also a great artist. He has one the National Duck Stamp Contest a number of times.
I fish a lot of wets, too. Wingless wets are my bread and butter. The reason? Because they are so versatile. You can fish them upstream. downstream in the surface or just below. You can fish them from bottom to top.
Here is an article I did for another site, but it's a good one to get started on.
Best of luck in your endeavors with the wet flies. If I can help in any way, let me know.
Mark
Wet Flies Revisited
PS-Maynard Reece is also a great artist. He has one the National Duck Stamp Contest a number of times.
"I have the highest respect for the skilled wet-fly fisherman, as he has mastered an art of very great difficulty." Edward R. Hewitt
Flymphs, Soft-hackles and Spiders: http://www.troutnut.com/libstudio/FS&S/index.html
Flymphs, Soft-hackles and Spiders: http://www.troutnut.com/libstudio/FS&S/index.html
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