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.
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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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Gutcutter on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 6:16 am EDT
i never saw a stonefly this big in pennsylvania.
All men who fish may in turn be divided into two parts: those who fish for trout and those who don't. Trout fishermen are a race apart: they are a dedicated crew- indolent, improvident, and quietly mad.
-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
GONZO on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 6:45 am EDT
Tony,
I believe this is a perlodid of the group known a "Springflies" (Perlodini). I recently (4/20) collected an identical specimen on a small Pocono creek. PA has some "Golden Stones" (Perlidae) and Salmonflies (Pteronarcyidae) that are larger. Despite being fairly large (esp. females), the early emergence and (often) small numbers of some of the Springflies means that they are not usually noticed by fly fishers. Until recently, I wasn't very familiar with them either, as indicated by my mistaken ID of this specimen (quite possibly the same species):
http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/782
I believe this is a perlodid of the group known a "Springflies" (Perlodini). I recently (4/20) collected an identical specimen on a small Pocono creek. PA has some "Golden Stones" (Perlidae) and Salmonflies (Pteronarcyidae) that are larger. Despite being fairly large (esp. females), the early emergence and (often) small numbers of some of the Springflies means that they are not usually noticed by fly fishers. Until recently, I wasn't very familiar with them either, as indicated by my mistaken ID of this specimen (quite possibly the same species):
http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/782
Oldredbarn on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 6:53 am EDT
Tony,
This is the guy that made the "Mattress Thrasher" famous on the Au Sable...We call it the "Yellow-Throated Stone". Maybe Perlodidae isoperla...I think they call it the medium Brown Stone...
20-25 years back a friend of mine gave some Mattress Thrashers to a friend that was just starting out as a guide on the Au Sable and he claimed it saved his ass the first couple seasons. When he died the fly became his and when he is brought up so is the fly...I guess this is how it goes.
This fly is a great searching fly when little seems to be happening...If you can get it to sit right up against the structure for a reasonable amount of time it's been known to tease up some nice fish.
Spence
This is the guy that made the "Mattress Thrasher" famous on the Au Sable...We call it the "Yellow-Throated Stone". Maybe Perlodidae isoperla...I think they call it the medium Brown Stone...
20-25 years back a friend of mine gave some Mattress Thrashers to a friend that was just starting out as a guide on the Au Sable and he claimed it saved his ass the first couple seasons. When he died the fly became his and when he is brought up so is the fly...I guess this is how it goes.
This fly is a great searching fly when little seems to be happening...If you can get it to sit right up against the structure for a reasonable amount of time it's been known to tease up some nice fish.
Spence
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Oldredbarn on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 7:12 am EDT
Guys! I really need to get in the basement and crank out some flies...The end of May is almost here.
I was thinking of one other thing about this stonefly...I think it's the one responsible, on sunny days, for dive bomb like egg laying. You will be standing there and out of nowhere this big stone crashes to the surface to shake free it's egg sack. They ride on the water a bit and off they go, if a trout doesn't nab them first.
It's pretty cool to see.
Spence
I was thinking of one other thing about this stonefly...I think it's the one responsible, on sunny days, for dive bomb like egg laying. You will be standing there and out of nowhere this big stone crashes to the surface to shake free it's egg sack. They ride on the water a bit and off they go, if a trout doesn't nab them first.
It's pretty cool to see.
Spence
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
SlateDrake9 on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 2:27 pm EDT
Those usually don't show up until just about Green Drake time here in Potter County. I don't often see trout take them on the surface, but when they do, it's a fun time. The first time I saw them feeding on them on the surface, I had to use a grasshopper pattern to get in on the action as I wasn't prepared for such a happening. I now carry some large stimulators just in case it happens.
The nymph, on the other hand, produces pretty well in our larger streams.
The nymph, on the other hand, produces pretty well in our larger streams.
Fishing with bait is like swearing in church.
-- Slate Drake
-- Slate Drake
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