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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.

Dorsal view of a Kogotus (Perlodidae) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington
This one pretty clearly keys to Kogotus, but it also looks fairly different from specimens I caught in the same creek about a month later in the year. With only one species of the genus known in Washington, I'm not sure about the answer to this ID.
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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Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Apr 13, 2012April 13th, 2012, 4:50 pm EDT
Although the low waters are somewhat worrisome this year and we could sure use some rain, there's no way I could have done this fishing this early in a normal year. The Rifle was low and clear and some insects were flitting about, including some Red Quills and some type of little brown stonefly - thought it was a caddis until one landed on me last time out. No matter, an Elkhair Caddis was a fine imitation, with golden-brown dubbing, medium brown hackle, gold wire counter-wrapped over the hackle, and a tan-grey wing. Three hits on this fly I missed completely, didn't even sting 'em. One fish was feeding and may have hit the fly twice, the other fish rose out of nowhere.

Oh well, I though, at least I raised a couple. Then as I was maybe 15 minutes from the car, fishing downstream, this nicely colored 14" brown took a #10 Woolly Bugger in olive (tail), peacock (body), and grizzly (hackle). Man did he hit hard, sent a shockwave straight up my arm into my brain. Not a bad start to the season, considering that last year my first trout was a 6" brookie. This guy could have eaten that one...

To top it all off, I had the place to myself on a beautiful day. Last week I went there and found a couple of guys in a rowboat with squeaky oars looking for steelhead - this on a river that averages 20-30 feet wide and holes no deeper than my shoulders. Needless to say, I didn't catch anything then, and I was happy not to see them today! I did see what may have been a 2-foot steelhead myself today, came so close to me I thought it was going to swim between my legs! Plus, six turkeys and three deer on the drive.

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
GldstrmSam
GldstrmSam's profile picture
Fairbanks, Alaska

Posts: 212
GldstrmSam on Apr 13, 2012April 13th, 2012, 7:35 pm EDT
Beautiful fish Jonathan,

Tomorrow if I remember I am going to tie myself that bugger that you said you caught that fish on. It seems like it would be a excellent variation. I have never thought of using peacock for a bugger body.

Sam
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the worm. ~Patrick F. McManus
Jesse
Jesse's profile picture
Posts: 378
Jesse on Apr 14, 2012April 14th, 2012, 6:31 pm EDT
Gorgeous first fish my man, well done!
Most of us fish our whole lives..not knowing its not the fish that we are after.
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com
Seatrout
Iceland

Posts: 5
Seatrout on Apr 16, 2012April 16th, 2012, 3:58 am EDT
Peacock works really well for a bugger body, gives the fly a bit of a glance... Nice fish!

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