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.

View from Upper to Lower Titcomb Lake

From Titcomb Basin in Wyoming

Stream photos

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Onocosmoecus (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Onocosmoecus (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Lateral view of a Onocosmoecus (Limnephilidae) (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This specimen keys pretty easily to Onocosmoecus, and it closely resembles a specimen from Alaska which caddis expert Dave Ruiter recognized as this genus. As with that specimen, the only species in the genus documented in this area is Onocosmoecus unicolor, but Dave suggested for that specimen that there might be multiple not-yet-distinguished species under the unicolor umbrella and it would be best to stick with the genus-level ID. I'm doing the same for this one.

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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.

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.

best trout fly, Page 2

TNEAL
GRAYLING. MICHIGAN

Posts: 278

TNEAL on Jul 16, 2010July 16th, 2010, 10:14 am EDT

This post reminds me of when I first worked in a fly shop many years ago. We would sit tying in a spot visible through the front window. When the Hex hatch started, we received myriad requests for custom tying accompanied nearly always with the admonition "please don't show this pattern to anyone else." I can only assume all these guys were catching nice fish on their favorite Hex pattern. Which of these is the "best fly" for that hatch?

Jesse

Posts: 378

Jesse on Jul 16, 2010July 16th, 2010, 2:08 pm EDT

Now i never said the bugger was my favorite fly to throw but its the one fly that can ALWAYS get the job done. It might be a little cliche to say but you simple can't have a complete box without it no matter what the species your fishing for, especially trout!

Most of us fish our whole lives..not knowing its not the fish that we are after.
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Jul 16, 2010July 16th, 2010, 5:01 pm EDT

You know, folks, in an era when there are literally tens of thousands of fly patterns, if not more, available to the fly fisherman, plus the fact that there are at least several million (if not more) fly fisherman (including fisherWOMEN) in this world, this question is really POINTLESS...

Gonzo said it best: it's the one at the end of your line that you're catching fish on right now. SO BE IT!

Jonathon

No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...

Windknot79
on a stream

Posts: 16

Windknot79 on Jul 17, 2010July 17th, 2010, 7:13 am EDT

the best trout fly is the one u catch the most with.so many facters involed.bugs dropping on the water it chould be a dry nothing showing its a nnymph.
vinlflyfish this is a great question and interesting to see the diffrent anwsers.
well my best trout fly is a nymph tied with turky tail in a pheasent tail pattern.its a killer for me and the frist fly I start with un less they are rising.