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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.

Lateral view of a Female Sweltsa borealis (Chloroperlidae) (Boreal Sallfly) Stonefly Adult from Harris Creek in Washington
I was not fishing, but happened to be at an unrelated social event on a hill above this tiny creek (which I never even saw) when this stonefly flew by me. I assume it came from there. Some key characteristics are tricky to follow, but process of elimination ultimately led me to Sweltsa borealis. It is reassuringly similar to this specimen posted by Bob Newell years ago. It is also so strikingly similar to this nymph from the same river system that I'm comfortable identifying that nymph from this adult. I was especially pleased with the closeup photo of four mites parasitizing this one.
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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Roguerat
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Posts: 456
Roguerat on Jun 5, 2015June 5th, 2015, 1:30 pm EDT
I spent the past Monday on the Big Manistee, the 'Flower Flats' area below Hodenpyle dam. Beautiful water, lots of Rainbows in all sizes...8" 'planters' up to some pretty big pigs of 24-26". The little guys were rising all over the place and hitting anything and everything I threw at them. The big fish were just holding in pods, neat to see them all facing upstream and jockeying for position in the feeding lanes. The larger fish would 'bump' the smaller ones out of the way and assume the now-empty spot, and the small ones would take up new places only to be moved yet again. When they didn't hit the dries I'd cast I literally dragged nymphs, sculpins, whatever through the middle of a given pod of fish and they'd ignore it completely- if I actually bumped a fish they'd move aside to let the fly pass then get back in line. Not sure what to make of that behavior except to say I've never waded to within a couple feet of a group of trout before they moved- slightly- and reformed their formation. The water was gin-clear and I didn't have my camera...#$%!

Roguerat

'Less is more...'

Ludwig Mies Vande Rohe

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