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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Setvena wahkeena (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph Setvena wahkeena (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Setvena wahkeena (Perlodidae) (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington

As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.

7 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.

newly designed soft hackles.

Sayfu
Posts: 560

Sayfu on May 16, 2013May 16th, 2013, 5:51 am EDT

I received my dyed purple Guinea Fowl skin from Whiting Farms recently, and it passed an initial test at my local trout planted lake. A #12 9672 blue soft fibered tail, blue goose biot body, bumped up black metal bead thorax dubbed over the bead with purple dubbing, and a blue hackle tied in between the metal bead, and the front red plastic bead worked exceptional. And I have been doing poorly up until now getting the planted fish to take a bug. This is all based on ROY G. BIV and what colors show up better at depth. Next test will probably be a quality lake not far down the road. Our rivers are in runoff now, but wild fish will get the test on the Snake, and Montana Rivers when they come back into shape. I split my purple skin with a fellow that ordered a blue Kingfisher colored skin.

Oldredbarn

Novi, MI

Posts: 2600

Oldredbarn on May 16, 2013May 16th, 2013, 6:26 am EDT

Sayfu...Since you are fond of "the color purple" check out the vid on Parks Fly Shop out of Gardner MT...Tying the Purple Haze Parachute. A fly after an old hippie's heart...;)

Once you are at Park's site...click on the "How to" link and then the "video" link to the left...then you can pick YouTube vids and toggle until you find it...You probably could just type "Tying the Purple Haze Parachute" in google and get to it that way...(?)

Enjoy...Be careful now! I don't want you to blow your mind...Or the fishes, for that matter.

Spence

While you are there looking around I want you to ignore the "Shimmer Nymph"...It doesn't work in the least...a waste of time...;)

"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

Sayfu
Posts: 560

Sayfu on May 16, 2013May 16th, 2013, 6:55 am EDT

The results at the lake were startling. The feather in my cap was I normally go to do my "testing" early in the morning when few anglers are there, and my fish production using everything from Chironomid pupa to midge dries, to caddis dries, soft hackle PT's etc. etc. has been very poor. Yesterday I could not go until the about 3 PM when lots of worm anglers were there....mom's, and their kids. It is a great city investment to get young people interested in fishing. Right from the getgo I had numerous tugs on the soft hackle,casting from my chair. So many I thought I was grabbing the few weed growths that were popping up, but when I stood up I could see the flashes of fish striking the fly. And I never saw another fish caught with all the worm anglers that were there. But I could hear folks say from time to time, "I had better dig out my fly rod." Several stopped to ask me what I was using. I have as much confidence in the color visibility of blue as I do purple, and the combo provides great shading contrast. And with the right clothes on one of those flies looks great in ones lapel. :)