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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Zapada cinctipes (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph Zapada cinctipes (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Zapada cinctipes (Nemouridae) (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

Nymphs of this species were fairly common in late-winter kick net samples from the upper Yakima River. Although I could not find a key to species of Zapada nymphs, a revision of the Nemouridae family by Baumann (1975) includes the following helpful sentence: "2 cervical gills on each side of midline, 1 arising inside and 1 outside of lateral cervical sclerites, usually single and elongate, sometimes constricted but with 3 or 4 branches arising beyond gill base in Zapada cinctipes." This specimen clearly has the branches and is within the range of that species.

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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.

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.

Can you smell em?

Strmanglr

Posts: 156

Strmanglr on Feb 1, 2012February 1st, 2012, 12:09 pm EST

A couple years ago I heard my buddy saying to another, that he can smell the fish in the water. This came from a conversation about steelhead and salmon. I'm thinking to myself, all the spawn in the river during those times, maybe.

I went to my local steelhead water about a month ago, no fish caught, no smell. I went yesterday and the stream smelled fishy. I caught a medium brown and saw a few minnows.

What's up?

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on Feb 1, 2012February 1st, 2012, 12:29 pm EST

The only time I've smelled fish in the water is when salmon carcasses are all over the place. But then again, my nose is more attuned to sniffing out a good cup of coffee or a wee dram of...:)

"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman

PaulRoberts

Colorado

Posts: 1776

PaulRoberts on Feb 1, 2012February 1st, 2012, 1:51 pm EST

I can't say for sure with salmonids -except for the dead ones. Might be though as I've smelled largemouth bass on stillwaters -an odor something like fresh cut grass. I wonder though, whether I smell the fish, or catch the fish, first (lol).

Jesse

Posts: 378

Jesse on Feb 1, 2012February 1st, 2012, 8:18 pm EST

I can't smell fish on a river unless their, like it has been stated, dead.. Now after i catch a few i can certainly smell that river from a mile away!

Most of us fish our whole lives..not knowing its not the fish that we are after.
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