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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Skwala (Large Springfly) Stonefly Nymph Skwala (Large Springfly) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Skwala (Perlodidae) (Large Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

This Skwala nymph still has a couple months left to go before hatching, but it's still a good representative of its species, which was extremely abundant in my sample for a stonefly of this size. It's obvious why the Yakima is known for its Skwala hatch.

6 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.

A few caddis and a baetid, Page 5

Shawnny3 has attached these 6 pictures to aid in identification. The message is below.

The smaller, more in-focus pupa was still alive, kicking and swimming, hours later while taking photos. The larger, blurry one died pretty quickly - I think I injured it. Size 16 and 12, respectively, nearly identical in color.

Side view of the smaller one. It didn't like to be flipped over - prefers right-side-up.

A few more of these little rusty baetids I've been finding. Don't know if the fish have been feeding on them - have only found them here and there. I tied up a few good-looking dries for them, but I haven't fished them yet. Size 24.

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Aug 10, 2012August 10th, 2012, 8:52 am EDT

VERY interesting, Gonzo. Perhaps some new technology (or new application of old technology) has allowed these observations since I got my Masters in entomology in '91. Guess I'm not too surprised that insects have ways of enhancing the air flow into and out of their bodies. Still, it seems that their current size is limited by current oxygen levels, at least that's what the fossil evidence seems to show. And, it saves us from having to tie midges on 6/0 hooks and mayflies on size 20/0 or larger! Just imagine the beetle patterns the size of bowling balls...Then we'd all need 25-foot rods to cast these monsters! But, also imagine the fish we would catch on them...although, the thought of fighting off giant mosquitos while doing so is most definitely an unpleasant thought! I suppose I'm happy with 21% oxygen...

Jonathon

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

GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681

GONZO on Aug 10, 2012August 10th, 2012, 9:00 am EDT

...although, the thought of fighting off giant mosquitos while doing so is most definitely an unpleasant thought!

...not to mention the horror of giant deer flies (!!!), Jonathon. :)

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Aug 10, 2012August 10th, 2012, 9:27 am EDT

"...giant deer flies..." Uhuhuhuh, the mere thought makes me shudder - they'd probably take a chunk out of you big enough to KILL you! That is, if the giant mosquitos didn't drain you of blood first...

Not sure if I would ever want anyone to invent a time machine. It seems that our geological past is full of nasty creatures, from spiders the size of dinner plates to, well, dinosaurs...I think I'd need to be pretty well armed, shotguns for the giant flying insects, high-powered rifles for the smaller dinosaurs, maybe a few of those old Army LAW rockets for the big ones...or maybe just take an armored personnel carrier with me...

Jonathon

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

Shawnny3
Moderator
Pleasant Gap, PA

Posts: 1197

Shawnny3 on Aug 10, 2012August 10th, 2012, 10:36 am EDT

I think we may be thinking about this wrong. In such a world, bugs like dragonflies would likely be swooping down and scooping up trout, not the other way around. Maybe we'd be tying up trout imitations to go "fly fishing".

-Shawn

Jewelry-Quality Artistic Salmon Flies, by Shawn Davis
www.davisflydesigns.com

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Aug 10, 2012August 10th, 2012, 10:41 am EDT

Or, perhaps our trout would be the size of marlin??? Bigger bugs, bigger fish...

Then again, maybe WE would be bigger too! It's all a matter of perspective. Of course, we might also have scaly skins and forked tongues...

Jonathon

P.S. Another Troutnut thread gone horribly awry!

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

PaulRoberts

Colorado

Posts: 1776

PaulRoberts on Aug 10, 2012August 10th, 2012, 10:44 am EDT

I think we may be thinking about this wrong. In such a world, bugs like dragonflies would likely be swooping down and scooping up trout, not the other way around. Maybe we'd be tying up trout imitations to go "fly fishing".

-Shawn

LOL!

Actually we might be cowering in the shrubbery, and crunching down midges ourselves.