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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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.

I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.

The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.

Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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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GaryO
Roseville, CA

Posts: 8
GaryO on Jun 22, 2015June 22nd, 2015, 9:46 am EDT
Greetings; this morning, what I was looking for was opinions about Fenwick HMG/Aetos fly rods. Specifically, the HMG763-4 HMG 7'6" 4 piece 3wt rod. I am fairly new to fly fishing and am looking to buy my first UL rod. I will be fishing the alpine country for small brook trout and maybe some goldens. All this above 8000 feet. I have fished Fenwick rods most of my adult life and believe they offer quality rods at a fair price. What say you? Thanks...
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Jun 22, 2015June 22nd, 2015, 5:02 pm EDT
Not familiar with this rod, but if you can, go to a shop and ask to cast it. If it feels right to you and you can cast well with it, nobody can make a better recommendation. Best of luck.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
PaulRoberts
PaulRoberts's profile picture
Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Jun 23, 2015June 23rd, 2015, 3:41 pm EDT
My guess is it's a fine rod. Agree with Martinlf that you should cast it, if you can. But... short rods, under 8-1/2ft, don't require the very best in graphite technology to be nice crisp casters. Over 8-1/2ft and the better the graphite (and usually more you pay) the better off you are.

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