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.
Featured on the forum
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.
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.
Roguerat on Aug 3, 2011August 3rd, 2011, 3:46 pm EDT
We're planning a week on the upper Manistee (north of Grayling) and just wondering if anyone else had experience or a comment on this part of the river. My daughter has caught Brookies there near the Nat'l Forest campground (we'll be camping there) and said it's an awesome place.
if that doesn't produce we'll just hop over to the Au Sable, a few miles at most...
if that doesn't produce we'll just hop over to the Au Sable, a few miles at most...
Oldredbarn on Aug 3, 2011August 3rd, 2011, 5:27 pm EDT
Roguerat,
www.oldausable.com Ask for Andy.
www.gateslodge.com Ask for Josh.
Old Au Sable is at the river and business loop 75 near downtown Grayling...You will want to stop here and ask for some Madsen Skunks tied by Jerry Regan...If Jerry is standing around in there ask him to point some other flies out for you...Pick his brains a bit. He ties all the old traditional flies from the area...
Gates' Lodge is 7 miles east...72 towards Mio to Stephan's Bridge Rd. Turn north to you get to the river. Mark Henrricks is a guide out of Gates' and he lives on the Manistee...I'll get you his email and PM it to you tomorrow.
Don't forget the Grayling Restaurant in downtown...You could of won a free breakfast there a few days back if you would of guessed the old time anglers I had for my profile pic...:)
That should do it for now. Right where you'll be staying at the camp grounds should be fine...I've heard that the Au Sable is fishless ;).
Spence
PS In the fly shops up there the Challenge Chapter of TU has wonderful stream guides for both the Manistee and Au Sable and the dough for them goes back in to the river...
www.oldausable.com Ask for Andy.
www.gateslodge.com Ask for Josh.
Old Au Sable is at the river and business loop 75 near downtown Grayling...You will want to stop here and ask for some Madsen Skunks tied by Jerry Regan...If Jerry is standing around in there ask him to point some other flies out for you...Pick his brains a bit. He ties all the old traditional flies from the area...
Gates' Lodge is 7 miles east...72 towards Mio to Stephan's Bridge Rd. Turn north to you get to the river. Mark Henrricks is a guide out of Gates' and he lives on the Manistee...I'll get you his email and PM it to you tomorrow.
Don't forget the Grayling Restaurant in downtown...You could of won a free breakfast there a few days back if you would of guessed the old time anglers I had for my profile pic...:)
That should do it for now. Right where you'll be staying at the camp grounds should be fine...I've heard that the Au Sable is fishless ;).
Spence
PS In the fly shops up there the Challenge Chapter of TU has wonderful stream guides for both the Manistee and Au Sable and the dough for them goes back in to the river...
"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
TNEAL on Aug 4, 2011August 4th, 2011, 3:37 am EDT
The upper Manistee genrally runs cooler than the AuSable mainstem which has had water temps into the upper 70's for the past several weeks... it may well be fishless... the part of the river you're considering has a history of producing some very large browns, including one just shy of 36" taken way back in '53 by a Grayling angler(Arnold Hubbel). Arnold's wife was a commercail fly tyer for a number of years.
Oldredbarn on Aug 4, 2011August 4th, 2011, 5:23 am EDT
Bugs, Flies, and River Conditions
Tricos (24-26), latas (#18), the olive formerly known as Psuedocleon (24 down to really fricking small), cahills (#14) and the evening sedge (#12-14) are all around, though the trico has been king this week. Daytime fishing has been very good on the South Branch and the Manistee...
Here's a little blurb from Gates' fishing report...
Maybe Mr. Neal could tell you where to find some of his flies around the good old Au Sable...I still owe him a breakfast or two or maybe a cold "root beer" because way back before I was tying on my own, or at least to a point where I had "passable" flies, if it hadn't been for him & my buddy Bill I may have never caught a trout! :) It's all his fault! Well...he helped.
Spence
PS For Gonzo and the boys...I didn't write that about the "Iswaeon anoka" up there in that blurb...It just comes with the territory I guess up there around Grayling...We are going to start a petition to "Bring Back Our BUG!" ;) We just loved saying Pseudocloeon. Even if we mispronounced it...;)
"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
Oldredbarn on Aug 4, 2011August 4th, 2011, 6:07 am EDT
Roguerat,
I just posted the above and as I was walking to the kitchenette for my first cup of tea and a bran muffin I had this thought...You know how guys tease a bit, here on this site, how there's no fish anywhere near their fishing hole etc...I told you, in the earlier post, that you were in the right spot over there on the Manistee and that the Au Sable was fishless...Tim tempted you to "stay put" by telling you about a monster 3 footer caught there way back in 1953 and even gave you the name of the angler, and introduced you to his fly tying wife etc...It occurred to me, "Damn! He's good! He's beyond good! How subtle he is. I am a rank amateur next to him...He's a pro." :)
"Oh yeah mister Stranger...Happy fishing over there on the "cooler" running Manistee...Maybe that 3 footer's 6 foot by now..." ;)
I'm just playing with the tourist here...Having a little fun. The truth is we are all saving up for one of them "spy-kit" GPS units we can hide in Tim's wheel-well of his fishing wagon so we can follow him to his "secret" brookie hole...He's "old-school" and Spence won't learn of its where-a-bouts until they are reading his will...Ha!
Spence
I just posted the above and as I was walking to the kitchenette for my first cup of tea and a bran muffin I had this thought...You know how guys tease a bit, here on this site, how there's no fish anywhere near their fishing hole etc...I told you, in the earlier post, that you were in the right spot over there on the Manistee and that the Au Sable was fishless...Tim tempted you to "stay put" by telling you about a monster 3 footer caught there way back in 1953 and even gave you the name of the angler, and introduced you to his fly tying wife etc...It occurred to me, "Damn! He's good! He's beyond good! How subtle he is. I am a rank amateur next to him...He's a pro." :)
"Oh yeah mister Stranger...Happy fishing over there on the "cooler" running Manistee...Maybe that 3 footer's 6 foot by now..." ;)
I'm just playing with the tourist here...Having a little fun. The truth is we are all saving up for one of them "spy-kit" GPS units we can hide in Tim's wheel-well of his fishing wagon so we can follow him to his "secret" brookie hole...He's "old-school" and Spence won't learn of its where-a-bouts until they are reading his will...Ha!
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
Roguerat on Aug 4, 2011August 4th, 2011, 6:59 am EDT
hey, HUGE thanks for all the replies on this one...and I guess I should 'read between the lines' at least some of the time. I've been through Grayling a number of times on the way north but never stopped to fish.
Anyway, long story short last night my wife slipped in a puddle of dog-**** (thanks, dog) and tore up her knee and meniscus real good so it looks like no camping trip this year. Maybe we'll do a quick weekend up-and-back, she can sit in a camp-chair shouting encouragement and I'll wade for both of us.
size 24 and smaller, eh? I swore I'd never attempt anything smaller than an 18, I'm half-blind and half-crazed as it is!
Anyway, long story short last night my wife slipped in a puddle of dog-**** (thanks, dog) and tore up her knee and meniscus real good so it looks like no camping trip this year. Maybe we'll do a quick weekend up-and-back, she can sit in a camp-chair shouting encouragement and I'll wade for both of us.
size 24 and smaller, eh? I swore I'd never attempt anything smaller than an 18, I'm half-blind and half-crazed as it is!
Oldredbarn on Aug 4, 2011August 4th, 2011, 7:11 am EDT
Roguerat,
Give your poor suffering Frau all our best. That's too bad.
Only "half-crazed"...Might as well go all-in, eh!? Speaking of crazy, you know our pal here Gutcutter? He's busy trying to find someone that can get him some hooks that are actually smaller than a 32!..;) Rumor is he ties under a microscope at the clinic between operations...:)
Don't worry about the old Au Sable and the Manistee, they will still be there waiting for you when you do finally get there.
Spence
Give your poor suffering Frau all our best. That's too bad.
size 24 and smaller, eh? I swore I'd never attempt anything smaller than an 18, I'm half-blind and half-crazed as it is!
Only "half-crazed"...Might as well go all-in, eh!? Speaking of crazy, you know our pal here Gutcutter? He's busy trying to find someone that can get him some hooks that are actually smaller than a 32!..;) Rumor is he ties under a microscope at the clinic between operations...:)
Don't worry about the old Au Sable and the Manistee, they will still be there waiting for you when you do finally get there.
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
Gutcutter on Aug 5, 2011August 5th, 2011, 5:02 am EDT
He's busy trying to find someone that can get him some hooks that are actually smaller than a 32!..;) Rumor is he ties under a microscope
Spence
Not anymore. I am now satisfied with TMC2488 size 30 until further notice...
No microscope or magnification needed (except 1.75x reading glasses)
All men who fish may in turn be divided into two parts: those who fish for trout and those who don't. Trout fishermen are a race apart: they are a dedicated crew- indolent, improvident, and quietly mad.
-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
Oldredbarn on Aug 5, 2011August 5th, 2011, 5:17 am EDT
No microscope or magnification needed (except 1.75x reading glasses)
Tony...You're "bad to the bone" brother! I can't even read your message on the computer here without magnification!
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
Goose
Posts: 77
Posts: 77
Goose on Aug 5, 2011August 5th, 2011, 5:52 am EDT
Spence, don't come to PA. There ain't no freakin' fish in PA. For that matter, there ain't even no freakin' fly hooks in PA. Not only that, Tony doesn't even live in PA, nor do I.
Goose
PS. Tony doesn't tie at the hospital anymore. He unknowingly dropped a rotary vise in a guy's stomach. Now, everytime the guy swallows, his stomach turns.
Goose
PS. Tony doesn't tie at the hospital anymore. He unknowingly dropped a rotary vise in a guy's stomach. Now, everytime the guy swallows, his stomach turns.
Oldredbarn on Aug 5, 2011August 5th, 2011, 7:50 am EDT
There ain't no freakin' fish in PA.
Goose...Thou doth protest too loudly me thinks...I'm packing my fishing wagon as we speak and if I can dig out my Rand Mcnally I'll be right over...;) Put a pot of coffee on. Let's see I-75 south, cross in to Ohio, turn the sled east, find a turnpike or two...Stop in and say hello to Tony and get him to give me a dozen or two of those #30's...Drive around until I find a "crick"...I'll be just fine...:) Oh! I better hose down my wading boots...Don't want any invasive Michigan slim slipping off them and hassling "them PA Boy's" trout.
"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
Jesse on Aug 6, 2011August 6th, 2011, 10:09 pm EDT
Is all i know is that the world record was caught out of that river not to long ago my man and you could be next.
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
Roguerat on Aug 8, 2011August 8th, 2011, 6:15 am EDT
Jesse- I saw the photos of the record fish, this thing was HUGE!
He also caught it below Tippy dam, on a Rapala?...not to say it couldn't be done on a fly, but I guess it would take the right fly on the right day, and so on!
As far as The Big Manistee goes,I've also read and been advised that the river directly below Hodenpyl Dam is called Flower Flats and that it's really good trout water. Guess I'll still start above Grayling and just work my way down, as the years go by.
I Peter 5:7...'Cast your cares upon Him'
He also caught it below Tippy dam, on a Rapala?...not to say it couldn't be done on a fly, but I guess it would take the right fly on the right day, and so on!
As far as The Big Manistee goes,I've also read and been advised that the river directly below Hodenpyl Dam is called Flower Flats and that it's really good trout water. Guess I'll still start above Grayling and just work my way down, as the years go by.
I Peter 5:7...'Cast your cares upon Him'
Quick Reply
Related Discussions
Topic
Replies
Last Reply
0
Dec 21, 2009
by Oldredbarn
by Oldredbarn
3
Oct 14, 2015
by Dkinva
by Dkinva
4
May 11, 2017
by Millcreek
by Millcreek
