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 is a striking caddis larva with an interesting color pattern on the head. Here are some characteristics I was able to see under the microscope, but could not easily expose for a picture:
- The prosternal horn is present.
- The mandible is clearly toothed, not formed into a uniform scraper blade.
- The seems to be only 2 major setae on the ventral edge of the hind femur.
- Chloride epithelia seem to be absent from the dorsal side of any abdominal segments.
Based on these characteristics and the ones more easily visible from the pictures, this seems to be Grammotaulius. The key's description of the case is spot-on: "Case cylindrical, made of longitudinally arranged sedge or similar leaves," as is the description of the markings on the head, "Dorsum of head light brownish yellow with numerous discrete, small, dark spots." The spot pattern on the head is a very good match to figure 19.312 of Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019). The species ID is based on Grammotaulius betteni being the only species of this genus known in Washington state.
- The prosternal horn is present.
- The mandible is clearly toothed, not formed into a uniform scraper blade.
- The seems to be only 2 major setae on the ventral edge of the hind femur.
- Chloride epithelia seem to be absent from the dorsal side of any abdominal segments.
Based on these characteristics and the ones more easily visible from the pictures, this seems to be Grammotaulius. The key's description of the case is spot-on: "Case cylindrical, made of longitudinally arranged sedge or similar leaves," as is the description of the markings on the head, "Dorsum of head light brownish yellow with numerous discrete, small, dark spots." The spot pattern on the head is a very good match to figure 19.312 of Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019). The species ID is based on Grammotaulius betteni being the only species of this genus known in Washington state.
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Kauto on Jul 11, 2011July 11th, 2011, 2:20 am EDT
Hi all just signed up,i have been fishing on and off for the last 40 years.I have fished in scotland,wales and my passion is for the wild brown trout as you probably know we get the odd big ones but the majoraty are between 6 to 8 inches a good fish is 12inches.I have also fished the stocked reservoirs over here where the rainbows that are stocked are a hell of a lot bigger.I have also fished in missouri and arkasas about 5 years ago which wasa lot of fun.
Troutnut on Jul 11, 2011July 11th, 2011, 2:29 am EDT
Welcome!
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
PaulRoberts on Jul 11, 2011July 11th, 2011, 5:56 am EDT
Yes, welcome.
Fish size is relative. I tend to fish what I have time for -what's close by; Mostly 7 to 14inch fish: brown, rainbow, brook, cutthroat -in that order by elevation from my door. Again, size is relative. Just LOVE the fishing, but admit I do feel something missing from the day if i don't find a "good one". On some waters that may be a 9inch brookie, on others a 12 inch brown.
Again, welcome. And share some images of your fishing. Take us along.
Fish size is relative. I tend to fish what I have time for -what's close by; Mostly 7 to 14inch fish: brown, rainbow, brook, cutthroat -in that order by elevation from my door. Again, size is relative. Just LOVE the fishing, but admit I do feel something missing from the day if i don't find a "good one". On some waters that may be a 9inch brookie, on others a 12 inch brown.
Again, welcome. And share some images of your fishing. Take us along.
Oldredbarn on Jul 11, 2011July 11th, 2011, 10:14 am EDT
Yes welcome! I'm a big Charles Jardine fan and Hans van Klinken who is fairly popular over your way I hear...You should google Philip Bailey and check out his stuff...He has sent me some very helpful emails and is right in your neck of the woods...Do they have that expression in the UK?
Spence
Spence
"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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Kauto on Jul 11, 2011July 11th, 2011, 2:52 pm EDT
Thanks for the welcome,just had a week in north wales no pics this trip,fishing was very hard as we are having a bit of a drought so the rivers are very low.i have met charles jardine a couple of times he is what we call over hear a true gent.I went to our yearly fly tackle show,paid a bit extra which was to be taught how to tie the klinkhammer by the great man himself,great teacher.The son has talked me into going to a stocked lake this week [not really my thing]so we might get a fish or two.The plan of attack at this time of year is buzzers the skinnier they are tied the better size 12 and 14 i shall also be giving my spiders a swim.On the rivers this season they have accounted for most of my fish i normally fish them across and down i have been trying to master the art of fishing them upstream the thinking behind that way of fishing them is that you are more likely to get into the bigger fish.Ihave a 3 week trip booked for the beginning of september to the scottish borders mainly for the brown trout but with a chace of a salmon or even a sea trout,you have probably heard of the river tweed i hope to have a couple of days on there and one or two of the other rivers around the area,will take the camera for that trip.
Jesse on Jul 11, 2011July 11th, 2011, 9:22 pm EDT
Hey bro welcome!
Most of us fish our whole lives..not knowing its not the fish that we are after.
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com
Goose
Posts: 77
Posts: 77
Goose on Jul 12, 2011July 12th, 2011, 5:04 am EDT
Hey Kauto. Welcome to the forum. There are some knowledgeable and friendly people here always ready to help.
Oldredbarn on Jul 12, 2011July 12th, 2011, 9:26 am EDT
Kauto,
I've added a new photo for my posts in your honor..:)
Many many years ago, when I prostrated myself at the altar rail of "Lore" and the "higher art" of the enlightened dry fly man...(Let's see what sort of rabid resposes we get for that one ;))...I subscribed to "Trout & Salmon" from your side of the pond.
My fishing mentor and I thought we were beyond clever when we visited a stocked pond here in the spring and he was tossing a Whiskey Fly and I was bobbing about in my float tube dropping an all black size 16 Klinkhammer on the surface.
The stocked Bows were cruising about with their dorsal fins exposed sucking in suspended midge and the hardware tossing boys on the bank couldn't figure out why they weren't scoring. I would hook another sluggish stocked past-his-prime 18"+ trout and make sure I turned my craft towards the thundering herd on the beach so they could watch me play another one...They would be watching through binoculars and I could here them say to each other "That damn flyfisherman's caught another one!"
If it wouldn't of been for the sorry shape of these poor stubby finned fish I may have taken some measure of pride in the moment, but reeling in the sad creatures was like dragging a wet bath towel through the water.
Anyway...We were hooked beyond belief in the old-school stuff from the British Isles...We both had Jardine's wonderful book on fly fishing and copied the flies in the back, read and re-read Brian Clarke & John Goddard (my friend even tied some upside down duns!), we knew who Oliver Edwards was etc...So, anyway welcome sir...
My friend thought he was really funny when he introduced the Klinkhammer to me way back then because my last name is Dutch and according to him it was only natural that I would be fishing my "cousins'" fly. We giggled like school girls, back in the early 90's, when we ran in to Dick Pobst at an access site on the Au Sable one evening and when I asked him if he had ever heard of the Klinkhammer he said no...He went on to write a nice little text on caddis with Carl Richards...We thought we were special, I guess, in a smartass sort of way.
I have had some very good luck actually fishing it in a rather small size as a Baetis during our early season here...I think it works well as an emerger period and not neccesarily for caddis only.
Anyway...This pond I mentioned above is pretty much the only local chance for us to fish stillwater for trout and have put up with the whole thing, bad trout & all, so we can fish midge patterns etc...To watch this pond, just after the sun sets, is a lot of fun! There are feeding trout everywhere chowing down on emerging midge...All the "loch" flies from your resevoir fishing (buzzers etc) work like a dream. Some of these fish are hatchery brood stock past their production use and they dump them here...A 20" fish on a size 20 or smaller midge pattern is a treat even if the fish look like they want you to kill them once you have brought them to hand.
I have actually argued, from time-to-time, with the powers that be to try and put an end to this...It's probably been going on for 30-35 years now...I was practically tarred and feathered a few times when I stood up at meetings of the club that originally sat it up and explained my distaste for it...It was like I had pissed on their recently polished shoes...
I would like to hear of some of your experiences tying with Hansi and what's going on over there these days...It's been decades since I stopped my subscription to Trout & Salmon. It just got to costly. I still have all my back issues piled up in the fly tying room closet. I have some very close friends in Germany and have threatened to visit them near Munich and head on down to the Traun. Have you read any Charlie Ritz?
Take Care!
Spence
I've added a new photo for my posts in your honor..:)
Many many years ago, when I prostrated myself at the altar rail of "Lore" and the "higher art" of the enlightened dry fly man...(Let's see what sort of rabid resposes we get for that one ;))...I subscribed to "Trout & Salmon" from your side of the pond.
My fishing mentor and I thought we were beyond clever when we visited a stocked pond here in the spring and he was tossing a Whiskey Fly and I was bobbing about in my float tube dropping an all black size 16 Klinkhammer on the surface.
The stocked Bows were cruising about with their dorsal fins exposed sucking in suspended midge and the hardware tossing boys on the bank couldn't figure out why they weren't scoring. I would hook another sluggish stocked past-his-prime 18"+ trout and make sure I turned my craft towards the thundering herd on the beach so they could watch me play another one...They would be watching through binoculars and I could here them say to each other "That damn flyfisherman's caught another one!"
If it wouldn't of been for the sorry shape of these poor stubby finned fish I may have taken some measure of pride in the moment, but reeling in the sad creatures was like dragging a wet bath towel through the water.
Anyway...We were hooked beyond belief in the old-school stuff from the British Isles...We both had Jardine's wonderful book on fly fishing and copied the flies in the back, read and re-read Brian Clarke & John Goddard (my friend even tied some upside down duns!), we knew who Oliver Edwards was etc...So, anyway welcome sir...
My friend thought he was really funny when he introduced the Klinkhammer to me way back then because my last name is Dutch and according to him it was only natural that I would be fishing my "cousins'" fly. We giggled like school girls, back in the early 90's, when we ran in to Dick Pobst at an access site on the Au Sable one evening and when I asked him if he had ever heard of the Klinkhammer he said no...He went on to write a nice little text on caddis with Carl Richards...We thought we were special, I guess, in a smartass sort of way.
I have had some very good luck actually fishing it in a rather small size as a Baetis during our early season here...I think it works well as an emerger period and not neccesarily for caddis only.
Anyway...This pond I mentioned above is pretty much the only local chance for us to fish stillwater for trout and have put up with the whole thing, bad trout & all, so we can fish midge patterns etc...To watch this pond, just after the sun sets, is a lot of fun! There are feeding trout everywhere chowing down on emerging midge...All the "loch" flies from your resevoir fishing (buzzers etc) work like a dream. Some of these fish are hatchery brood stock past their production use and they dump them here...A 20" fish on a size 20 or smaller midge pattern is a treat even if the fish look like they want you to kill them once you have brought them to hand.
I have actually argued, from time-to-time, with the powers that be to try and put an end to this...It's probably been going on for 30-35 years now...I was practically tarred and feathered a few times when I stood up at meetings of the club that originally sat it up and explained my distaste for it...It was like I had pissed on their recently polished shoes...
I would like to hear of some of your experiences tying with Hansi and what's going on over there these days...It's been decades since I stopped my subscription to Trout & Salmon. It just got to costly. I still have all my back issues piled up in the fly tying room closet. I have some very close friends in Germany and have threatened to visit them near Munich and head on down to the Traun. Have you read any Charlie Ritz?
Take Care!
Spence
"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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
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