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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 Setvena wahkeena (Perlodidae) (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington
As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
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.

Trtklr
Banned
Michigan

Posts: 115
Trtklr on Mar 7, 2009March 7th, 2009, 12:27 pm EST
www.moffittangling.com
check that out and tell me what you think
I have seen nothing more beautiful than the sunrise on a cold stream.
Taxon
Taxon's profile picture
Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311
Taxon on Mar 7, 2009March 7th, 2009, 1:41 pm EST
Scott-

Interesting concept.
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
Patcrisci
Lagrangeville, NY

Posts: 119
Patcrisci on Mar 8, 2009March 8th, 2009, 1:49 am EST
This is a really cool idea. Has anyone tried it?
Pat Crisci
Troutnut
Troutnut's profile picture
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Mar 8, 2009March 8th, 2009, 5:27 am EDT
Looks a lot like how they fish for trout with beads on the Kenai and other coastal Alaskan rivers, only adapted for insect flies.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Mar 8, 2009March 8th, 2009, 6:51 am EDT
"Looks a lot like how they fish for trout with beads on the Kenai"

Exactly what I thought of when I saw the video and web site. To hear them tell it they invented the concept. They may have developed the flies and the rubber dohickey but not the hooking outside the mouth. It appears the system will work better with sub surface flies than with dry flies. I'd think the hook would pull a #20 dry under the surface.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
LittleJ
Hollidaysburg Pa

Posts: 251
LittleJ on Mar 8, 2009March 8th, 2009, 9:26 am EDT
I'd like to see it in use. To me it seems like you will miss a lot of fish. Most trout just don't hold on that long, but I do agree it's a cool concept. I think more practical for bait fisherman than fly. You could just change how you rig the bait. I'd like to see a sliding rig for fishing the surf.
jeff
Shawnny3
Moderator
Pleasant Gap, PA

Posts: 1197
Shawnny3 on Mar 9, 2009March 9th, 2009, 2:17 pm EDT
I'd think you'd foul-hook a lot of fish. If the hook is dragging near the rear of the fish as you set it, it would seem highly likely that you'd hook the fish somewhere other than the mouth, particularly in the pectoral fin.

I guess I don't see many advantages to this system, while it has many obvious disadvantages. Most innovations are destined for the trash heap, and I suspect that is where this one should be.

-Shawn
Jewelry-Quality Artistic Salmon Flies, by Shawn Davis
www.davisflydesigns.com

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