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.

This view of the pipeline, the Atigun River, and an impressive sunset/rise was one of my first views of the North Slope as I came through Atigun Pass in the middle of the night.

From the Atigun River in Alaska

Stream photos

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Pycnopsyche guttifera (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Pycnopsyche guttifera (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Dorsal view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This specimen appears to be of the same species as this one collected in the same spot two months earlier. The identification of both is tentative. This one suffered some physical damage before being photographed, too, so the colors aren't totally natural. I was mostly photographing it to test out some new camera setting idea, which worked really well for a couple of closeups.

10 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.

Springtime Steelheading is in full swing.

Pryal74 has attached these 14 pictures to this report. The message is below.

Report at a Glance

General Region	The U.P.
Dates Fished	3-27-2012 3-29-2012
Fish Caught	Steelhead
Conditions & Hatches	Water temps around 50 degrees. Air temps varying around 40 degrees. Water levels dropping and clearing up.

Details and Discussion

Pryal74

Escanaba, MI

Posts: 168

Pryal74 on Mar 29, 2012March 29th, 2012, 10:00 pm EDT

Timing the Steelhead run can give you fits and force you to sit at the gas pump shaking your head. I am here to tell you it was worth the wait and long hours checking water temps, levels and fish sign.

I fished the same areas for 2 days never saw the same fish twice. I caught fish that were fresh and fish that had spent a portion of time in the river already.

The CFS had been quite high due to the little run off we DID have. Levels have fallen and with it, made fly fishing easier. The temps then plummeted to under 40 degrees which seemed to keep a huge push of fish from entering the rivers. The fish we found were scattered but extremely active.

-James Pryal
Into The Wild Fly Fishing

Crepuscular

Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920

Crepuscular on Mar 30, 2012March 30th, 2012, 6:37 am EDT

Nicely done James! Beautiful fish

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Mar 30, 2012March 30th, 2012, 11:23 am EDT

Nice pictures - do you always go with someone who is willing to take your picture? Some of those fish loo9k like resident rainbows and many of the others look like true steelhead. That 1st and 2nd picture is a real brute/

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Pryal74

Escanaba, MI

Posts: 168

Pryal74 on Mar 30, 2012March 30th, 2012, 3:34 pm EDT

Thanks! These are all Steelhead. If I don't have someone with me, I use the self timer.

The first fish (same as the second of course) is my biggest Steelhead ever. We have this awful cold snap right now. It's been around 40 degrees here a few days now. It's been tough. Only got 2 today.

-James Pryal
Into The Wild Fly Fishing

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Mar 31, 2012March 31st, 2012, 4:56 pm EDT

James, did you get a weight or length on that monster? Or can you guestimate from experience? What a massive fish! Congrats on your biggest ever!

Jonathon

P.S. Man, I'd be happy with just one of the small ones...

No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...

Pryal74

Escanaba, MI

Posts: 168

Pryal74 on Apr 1, 2012April 1st, 2012, 12:00 am EDT

@ Jonathon, Thank you. From experience... in-between 17-18 pounds. I posted the video of the battle and release on our youtube channel. Obviously I had to edit the footage for time constraints. I didn't want to over post with pictures and videos so I save some up and then splurge. I'll put a link up to the video on another post in fishing reports. I'm going to cover some new water tomorrow. Thanks again everyone.

-James Pryal
Into The Wild Fly Fishing