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.

I spent more than an hour casting to several rising trout in this pool and caught only two. Its clear water and tricky currents harbor dozens of free-rising, usually very hard-to-catch fish.

From Enfield Creek in New York

Stream photos

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Holocentropus Caddisfly Larva Holocentropus Caddisfly Larva

Dorsal view of a Holocentropus (Polycentropodidae) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This one seems to tentatively key to Holocentropus, although I can't make out the anal spines in Couplet 7 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae nor the dark bands in Couplet 4 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae, making me wonder if I went wrong somewhere in keying it out. I don't see where that could have happened, though. It might also be that it's a very immature larva and doesn't possess all the identifying characteristics in the key yet. If Holocentropus is correct, then Holocentropus flavus and Holocentropus interruptus are the two likely possibilities based on range, but I was not able to find a description of their larvae.

11 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.

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.

The unusual weather

Softhackle

Wellsville, NY

Posts: 540

Softhackle on Mar 11, 2012March 11th, 2012, 12:41 pm EDT

Are you as concerned as I regarding the unusually warm weather we've been experiencing in the north east? Too warm, too early could mean a blistering hot summer.

Mark

"I have the highest respect for the skilled wet-fly fisherman, as he has mastered an art of very great difficulty." Edward R. Hewitt

Flymphs, Soft-hackles and Spiders: http://www.troutnut.com/libstudio/FS&S/index.html

Oldredbarn

Novi, MI

Posts: 2600

Oldredbarn on Mar 11, 2012March 11th, 2012, 12:54 pm EDT

Mark,

A couple seasons back I was in Grayling at the end of May. The water temps were tipping in to the 70's during the day. Unsafe temps for playing fish in catch-and-release water. I can remember years when he would snow on me sometimes.

At our show this weekend I had a conversation with some guys about this very thing. One guy was saying we are just in a cycle...I wish I could buy into that.

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

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Mar 11, 2012March 11th, 2012, 3:14 pm EDT

Local streams around York and Dauphin county, PA are very low. Virtually July level conditions. However the water temeperatures in almost all of these streams is still in the low 40's. That is going to change this week as air temperatures, through Friday, are expected to hit the low 70's early in the week and the mid to higher 70's later in the week.

The WB of the Delaware, below the Cannonsville dam, is running at only 250 cfs. Usually at this time of the year, with a normal snow pack, the river could easily be hitting 1500 - 2000 cfs. I predict an early Hendrickson and Apple caddis emergence on the Delaware system. If these warm air temperatures, and lower than average flows continue, there will be duns in the air by April 15 with the Apple caddis overlapping by late the third week of April.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Softhackle

Wellsville, NY

Posts: 540

Softhackle on Mar 11, 2012March 11th, 2012, 4:05 pm EDT

This worries me.

Mark

GldstrmSam