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.

Stream photos

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Neoleptophlebia Mayfly Nymph Neoleptophlebia Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Neoleptophlebia (Leptophlebiidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

Some characteristics from the microscope images for the tentative species id: The postero-lateral projections are found only on segment 9, not segment 8. Based on the key in Jacobus et al. (2014), it appears to key to Neoleptophlebia adoptiva or Neoleptophlebia heteronea, same as this specimen with pretty different abdominal markings. However, distinguishing between those calls for comparing the lengths of the second and third segment of the labial palp, and this one (like the other one) only seems to have two segments. So I'm stuck on them both. It's likely that the fact that they're immature nymphs stymies identification in some important way.

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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.

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S. basale on Clarks Creek, PA

This topic is about the Mayfly Species Siphloplecton basale

Sadly, the largest mayflies of the early season come in small quantities. Siphloplecton basale matches the impressive size of the Ephemera drakes which follow two months later, but it does not match their numbers. It is common on one of my favorite rivers to see ten to fifteen of these elegant drakes dancing over a riffle in the early Spring. They are difficult to miss in the air, but on the water that quantity cannot get the trout or the angler excited.

There are rumors of fishable Siphloplecton days, but I know none of the details. They might be locally important in places angler-entomologists have yet to visit in the prime months, an unsung local treasure like Baetisca laurentina.

Example specimens

Wiconisco37
Central Pennsylvania

Posts: 8

Wiconisco37 on Feb 4, 2009February 4th, 2009, 10:27 am EST

they were discovered on Clarks Creek by a man from halifax, PA
i dont know what their numbers were like thgough

Martinlf

Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047

Martinlf on Jun 10, 2009June 10th, 2009, 3:16 pm EDT

This would have been Greg Hoover. I tied up some flies for the hatch long ago, but have never used them. But I don't fish Clarks all that much now, so I'm not claiming that proves anything.

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

--Fred Chappell