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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This wild-looking little thing completely puzzled me. At first I was thinking beetle or month larva, until I got a look at the pictures on the computer screen. I made a couple of incorrect guesses before entomologist Greg Courtney pointed me in the right direction with Psychodidae. He suggested a possible genus of Thornburghiella, but could not rule out some other members of the tribe Pericomini.
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Report at a Glance
| General Region | Centre County, PA |
| Specific Location | Spring Creek - started at Benner water ended below Paradis |
| Dates Fished | Friday 02/18 |
| Time of Day | 8 - 4 |
| Fish Caught | Nine wild browns |
| Conditions & Hatches | Nice day, air was 52 degrees at 8:00 a.m. but didn't get any warmer than 57 degrees at 2:00. Wind got bad from noon to when I quit. No bugs and no rising fish. The Benner water is off color with virtually no clarity. Water below Paradise is clearer - there is more snow on the ground at the Benner water hence more melting. |
Details and Discussion
Wbranch on Feb 18, 2011February 18th, 2011, 3:17 pm EST
Very tough catching. Most success on #12 Walt's Worm on a 3X long hook with brown magic marker back. Also took some fish on a #16 Lighting Bug. The Benner water was very crowded! Eight cars there at 8:00 a.m. and sixteen cars when I went down river at 2:30. Considering how windy it got I had a decent day. BTW the water temperature when I started was just 43 degrees and I checked it again at 4:00 and it was only 46 degrees. I lot of snow melt is running into the creek.
Flow at Axeman was 160 cfs (yesterday evening it was just 100 cfs) flow at Milesburg is 304 cfs - Logan Branch is putting in a lot of water.
Flow at Axeman was 160 cfs (yesterday evening it was just 100 cfs) flow at Milesburg is 304 cfs - Logan Branch is putting in a lot of water.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Martinlf on Feb 18, 2011February 18th, 2011, 3:52 pm EST
Not too bad, Matt. Wish I could have been there! Neat trick with the dark back on the WW. What's a Lightning Bug?
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
Wbranch on Feb 19, 2011February 19th, 2011, 12:57 am EST
Louis,
Here is a photo of a generic Lighting Bug. I tie mine with a collar of two turns of brown hen hackle and a short tail.
Here is a photo of a generic Lighting Bug. I tie mine with a collar of two turns of brown hen hackle and a short tail.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Martinlf on Feb 19, 2011February 19th, 2011, 7:55 am EST
Cool. I looked it up on Google and found lots of variations. The bead and mylar body seems to be the constant.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
Wbranch on Feb 19, 2011February 19th, 2011, 1:52 pm EST
Yes, without tinsel body it is not a LB.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
JOHNW on Feb 20, 2011February 20th, 2011, 9:37 am EST
I picked up a similar pattern a couple of summers ago on the Missouri. Same idea but no rib and the "thorax" was tied with olive ice dub.
I hoovered the river taht day an figured it should work back east. Now it is my go to nymph during baetis emergences.
JW
I hoovered the river taht day an figured it should work back east. Now it is my go to nymph during baetis emergences.
JW
"old habits are hard to kill once you have gray in your beard" -Old Red Barn
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