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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.

Dorsal view of a Setvena wahkeena (Perlodidae) (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington
As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
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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Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Jan 8, 2013January 8th, 2013, 8:02 am EST
Great pictures! The ones of the bridge are behind Harry Darbee's house. I've fished there many times. The fish always hang on the left side as there is deeper water there. Down stream by the old abutment used to be tons of stocked browns.

I couple of the other pictures look like they were taken at what we used to call "The Power Enclosure". About three miles upstream from the bridge pictures and just below the beginning of the No-Kill water. Am I right? I've caught some of the few rainbows I've ever caught on the Willow in that riffle.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Troutnut
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Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Jan 8, 2013January 8th, 2013, 8:40 am EST
Some of them are from what I've heard called "Power-Line Pool," which I'd guess is the same thing.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Jan 8, 2013January 8th, 2013, 9:27 am EST
Jason,

"Some of them are from what I've heard called "Power-Line Pool," which I'd guess is the same thing."

Yes, that's it! I used to park my 1969 VW Campmobile either at the upper end or down near the flat water pool and stay there all weekend. I'll look at some of my scanned prints to see if I have any from the "olden days" of my youth.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Entoman
Entoman's profile picture
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Jan 9, 2013January 9th, 2013, 4:42 pm EST
Interesting behavior by those caddis. Don't think it's mating. Could they be obtaining something from that lichen or whatever the growth is?
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman
Taxon
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Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311
Taxon on Jan 9, 2013January 9th, 2013, 10:59 pm EST
Hi Jason-

I'm not sure what the caddisflies in this tight cluster are doing, but I'd guess it has something to do with mating. They scooted all around the rock, with some flies leaving the cluster and new ones coming all the time.


Unless I'm mistaken, the scientific term for this is cluster****.

Sorry Lewis, but I simply couldn't resist Jason's cleverly baited hook. :-)
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com

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