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.

A beautiful braided reach of the Sag River, with the Philip Smith Mountains in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in the background.

From the Sagavanirktok River in Alaska

Stream photos

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Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

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.

9 Recently Added Photos

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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Hendrickson size

Male Ephemerella subvaria (Hendrickson) Mayfly Dun

9 Pictures

Lateral view of a Male Ephemerella subvaria (Ephemerellidae) (Hendrickson) Mayfly Dun from the Beaverkill River in New York

I collected this male Hendrickson dun and a female in the pool on the Beaverkill where the popular Hendrickson pattern was first created. He is descended from mayfly royalty.

Collected April 18, 2006 from the Beaverkill River in New York

Added by Troutnut on April 21, 2006

Collected April 18, 2006 from the Beaverkill River in New York and added by Troutnut on April 21, 2006

Jpsully
bedminster, nj

Posts: 4

Jpsully on Jan 10, 2007January 10th, 2007, 6:59 am EST

Jason:

Looking at the fifth photo from the top (the one with the ruler under the fly), it would appear that if you were to rotate the fly just a bit to the left, it would show that the fly is over one inch (25mm) long. That would make it twice as long as any Hendrickson I have ever seen. The average Hendrickson (to the best of my knowledge) is usually around 10-12mm (or about 1/2 inch), hook size 10-12. The hook size just doesn't seem to fit either. Where am I going wrong when looking at this fly (and hook)?

JP

Martinlf

Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047

Martinlf on Jan 10, 2007January 10th, 2007, 7:42 am EST

JP, Unless I'm mistaken, I believe that the ruler Jason is using is metric, that each little increment is one mm. I then see the bug measured at about 9-10 mm in the photo (not counting, of course the tails), and size 12 fits your accurate observations about the typical Hendrickson hook size. Now, when and where will we start seeing this bug come spring? I'm ready now.

"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell

Troutnut