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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.

Ventral view of a Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
With a bit of help from the microscope, this specimen keys clearly and unsurprisingly to Hydropsyche.
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.

Jmd123 has attached these 3 pictures. The message is below.
Jmd123
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Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Jun 12, 2011June 12th, 2011, 7:02 pm EDT
My boss told me I needed to check out Cooke Dam Pond on the Au Sable River for kayaking and fishing. He was right! After a frustrating day throwing streamers with only one little 10-incher on a Woolly Bugger, the wind finally calmed down, the water became smooth as glass, and there were flies all over the place, both mayflies and caddisflies (saw some earlier in the day but the wind was blowing pretty good). There were these little ripples here and there, and I thought well heck, let's try some dry flies, even if they're just little panfish it will be more fun than catching nothing. Well, they weren't panfish, they were 14-16" smallmouth! Two of them took a #12 cream Elkhair Caddis and the other two a #10 White Wulff. What a surprise to have tiny slurps turn into raging, leaping, broad-shouldered bass! And on the 7 1/2-foot 3-weight too, by far my favorite rod...

I swear guys, I must have found Fisherman's Paradise up here!

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

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on Jun 13, 2011June 13th, 2011, 7:44 am EDT
"That's Pure Michigan!!!"
"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

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