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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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.

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Drunella in the Smokies

This topic is about the Mayfly Species Drunella tuberculata

Example specimen

14
Female Drunella tuberculata Mayfly Dun

Lateral view of a Female Drunella tuberculata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Dun from the West Branch of the Delaware River in New York

I don't know for sure that this is Drunella tuberculata, but that's my best guess for now. It certainly has a different look and much more robust body shape from Drunella lata duns I photographed a couple weeks earlier, so I doubt it's that species. Using distribution records to eliminate other choices narrows this down to Drunella tuberculata or Drunella walkeri. Markings described for the abdominal sternites of the male spinner of Drunella tuberculata are suspiciously similar to those on this female dun. Also, this dun is 9.5mm long (my ruler pic isn't very good, but I'm basing this on measuring the real thing). The size range given in the old Allen & Edmunds keys for walkeri females is 7-8mm, while tuberculata is 9-11mm. For these reasons I'm sticking it in tuberculata for now. This is the only Drunella mayfly I saw all day. I scooped it off the water as it emerged at around 7pm from a big Catskill tailwater.

Konchu

Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 498

Konchu on Sep 20, 2009September 20th, 2009, 8:04 am EDT

Just got back from a trip to the North Carolina side of the Smokies. Drunella tuberculata (probably the conestee form) is getting ready to hatch there. Most of the other bugs of decent size that I saw were relatively young.

Pastorray
Springfield Ohio

Posts: 1

Pastorray on Nov 26, 2009November 26th, 2009, 3:19 am EST

Yes, I'm new to this site and was wondering if you have done any fly fishing in the Smokies during the winter...say Jan., or Feb.? I've done some in April on the NC side and did rather well, but like to try it in colder weather... Thanks , Pastor Ray

Pastor Ray

Teddyp
North Carolina

Posts: 18

Teddyp on Nov 26, 2009November 26th, 2009, 12:27 pm EST

I live on the NC side and fish the smokies throughout the year. The winter fishing is pretty good, but obviously slow as the temperatures drop, but don't get as cold as up north. Nymphing through the winter when the sun is out can be good!

Ted

Taxon

Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311

Taxon on Nov 26, 2009November 26th, 2009, 4:02 pm EST

Hi Luke. Interesting. Must have (somehow) missed your post when you made it on September 20. Haven't previously seen any emergence dates for Drunella tuberculata, but they must one of the latest-emerging Drunella species.

Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com

Konchu

Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 498

Konchu on Nov 27, 2009November 27th, 2009, 1:25 pm EST

Taxon, that Drunella is the old D. conestee, at least I'm pretty sure.

Pastorray and Teddyp, I've seen various BWOs emerging in good numbers up into December, if the day is warm enough.

CrUNChstONE
Charlotte, NC

Posts: 1

CrUNChstONE on Jan 3, 2010January 3rd, 2010, 6:49 am EST

Your best bet would be Abrams Creek because it originates underground and the water stays warmer during the winter than anywhere else in the park. P.S. Try BWO's, midges, and little black stone fly nymphs.

Stay classy.

Konchu

Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 498

Konchu on Jan 4, 2010January 4th, 2010, 12:22 pm EST

Abrams Cr and its tribs is where I collected the winged BWOs & other baetids!