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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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
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.
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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Report at a Glance

General RegionWestern New York
Specific LocationPulaski New York
Dates FishedApril 1 - April 6
Time of DayAll Day
Fish CaughtSteelhead over 10 pounds, Brown trout over 10 pounds
Conditions & HatchesDrop back fishing is very good with some fish still being caught with eggs. So the Salmon river should be excellent for the next 2 weeks. Awesome numbers and truly trophy steelhead and brown trout.

Details and Discussion

Jimdicken
Soldotna, Alaska

Posts: 1
Jimdicken on Apr 8, 2010April 8th, 2010, 6:02 am EDT
Check out Yankee Fly and Tackle at FishTheSalmonRiver.com for lodging and for fishing in the Town Pool
Jim Dicken
Backwoods Concierge Funny Moose Lodge...
Alaska Discount Vacations is Offering 3 Kenai River trout/dolly trips, $899 pp based on 2, $849 for 3 or more, Kenai Canyon add on for $225. Price good any SAT to SAT ,2010 season, cabin lodging based
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Apr 8, 2010April 8th, 2010, 10:25 am EDT
A friend of mine called today to tell me he was up at the SR Tuesday and Wednesday. He caught fish both days but he really called to tell me about an unusual experience. He was at the head of Schoolhouse on the south side and was about twenty feet from the bank. He was fishing nymphs to the flow side, he kept hearing some splashing behind him so he turned around and saw some nervous water, in only about a foot of water. He cut the nymph off and put on a #10 Stimulator and cast about the commotion, the fly floated about 3' and a huge head came up and ate the fly with an explosive take. He landed the 10# steelie about 100 yars down river.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

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