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.

Stream photos

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Doroneuria baumanni (Golden Stone) Stonefly Nymph Doroneuria baumanni (Golden Stone) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Doroneuria baumanni (Perlidae) (Golden Stone) Stonefly Nymph from Sears Creek in Washington

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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.

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Brown Drake?, Page 2

This topic is about the Mayfly Species Ephemera simulans

The Brown Drakes are a favorite hatch of many in the Midwest, and they make a good showing on localized waters across the country. They are usually the first in a series of big drakes which bring large trout to the surface at twilight and into the early hours of the night. The experience can be much like fishing the Hexagenia limbata hatch, except that the nymphs seem to emerge from slightly more wadeable, sandy bottoms instead of the boot-sucking mud underlying the best Hex water. It will draw big trout out from the depths of a big pool to feed in the shallow tailout after dark.

Example specimens

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Ephemera simulans (Brown Drake) Mayfly Nymph

Ephemera simulans (Ephemeridae) (Brown Drake) Mayfly Nymph from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

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Ephemera simulans (Brown Drake) Mayfly Nymph

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Male Ephemera simulans (Brown Drake) Mayfly Spinner

Lateral view of a Male Ephemera simulans (Ephemeridae) (Brown Drake) Mayfly Spinner from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

TNEAL
GRAYLING. MICHIGAN

Posts: 278

TNEAL on Jun 29, 2011June 29th, 2011, 6:17 pm EDT

For those who haven't seen it, it's hard to imagine... think of spinner falls so heavy that, at times, they actually look like a conveyor belt coming down the main current... trico spinner falls so heavy that they form literal blankets on the water.... the tiny fall olvies so heavy on cold afternoons they resemble a solid belt of sails... the AuSable in Michigan...