Header image
Enter a name
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.

Large hellgrammite (dobsonfly larva). This nearly two inch long larva from the genus Corydalus is a fearsome predator

Dorsal view of a Corydalus (Corydalidae) (Dobsonfly) Hellgrammite Larva from Paradise Creek in Pennsylvania
DOS
Buffalo, NY

Posts: 64
DOS on Mar 11, 2009March 11th, 2009, 5:22 pm EDT
Here is some quick video footage of a Hellgrammite I collected from a Western New York trout stream in February and filmed in my aquarium several weeks later.

http://www.vimeo.com/3590982
Andrew Nisbet
DOS
Buffalo, NY

Posts: 64
DOS on Mar 11, 2009March 11th, 2009, 8:08 pm EDT
I just realized my specimen is likely Nigronia serricornis and therefor posted in the wrong section

And is there anyway to embed video? I tried the usual BB and embed codes, to no avail...
Andrew Nisbet

Quick Reply

Related Discussions

Topic
Replies
Last Reply
0
Oct 11, 2015
by Midaniel
4
Apr 12, 2009
by DOS
5
Mar 4, 2010
by Martinlf
8
Jul 28, 2007
by Martinlf
Troutnut.com is copyright © 2004-2024 (email Jason). privacy policy