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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Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Ventral view of a Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

With a bit of help from the microscope, this specimen keys clearly and unsurprisingly to Hydropsyche.

9 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.

Green Drake Hatch Temp?

This topic is about the Mayfly Species Ephemera guttulata

Ephemera guttulata's size, numbers, and hatching characteristics have made it a favorite of fly fishermen since the sport first came to North American waters.

It is on par with the Midwest's Hexagenia limbata hatch for its ability to lure huge piscivorous brown trout to eat insects at the surface once a year. The special charm of the Green Drake hatch is that it often takes place during pleasant spring afternoons. It can be challenging because the large flies are easy for trout to inspect in the daylight and they feed very selectively, especially late in the hatch. The huge difference in appearance between green drake duns and the spinners, white-bodied "coffin flies," makes them a peculiarity among major hatches.

The Green Drakes are on the decline due to environmental degradation.

Example specimens

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Female Ephemera guttulata (Green Drake) Mayfly Dun

Artistic view of a Female Ephemera guttulata (Ephemeridae) (Green Drake) Mayfly Dun from the West Branch of the Delaware River in New York

For years after I started this website, I was eagerly hoping to find a green drake to add to the collection, but I was never in the right part of the world at the right time. It finally happened on June 1st, 2007.

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Male Ephemera guttulata (Green Drake) Mayfly Spinner

Lateral view of a Male Ephemera guttulata (Ephemeridae) (Green Drake) Mayfly Spinner from Penn's Creek in Pennsylvania

This spinner was the only member of its species I saw all night during an incredibly thick and tricky mixed hatch on Penn's Creek a few days before the real start of its famous green drake hatch.

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Female Ephemera guttulata (Green Drake) Mayfly Spinner

Lateral view of a Female Ephemera guttulata (Ephemeridae) (Green Drake) Mayfly Spinner from the West Branch of the Delaware River in New York

NEMatt
New Hampshire

Posts: 13

NEMatt on May 23, 2014May 23rd, 2014, 3:34 pm EDT

Hi

I was looking for a water temperature range for the Green Drake hatch. Anyone know?

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on May 23, 2014May 23rd, 2014, 8:50 pm EDT

See comments in your hex thread.

"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman