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.
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This species was fairly abundant in a February sample of the upper Yakima.
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WBMike
Posts: 1
Posts: 1
WBMike on Sep 5, 2015September 5th, 2015, 5:08 pm EDT
Hi Folks,
This is my first post, I hope someone can help me out. Last week while fishing the Upper Delaware a spinner fall occurred about an hour or two before dark. The spinners never hit the water but hovered about 6 inches above the surface. Trout were jumping completely out of the water eating the insects out of the air.
The spinner was very hard to see and appeared a pale whitish - gray color, about a size 16-18. They were quite abundant, and very fragile, I couldn't catch one without mangling it beyond recognition.
I also have seen these spinners on Pocono streams in mid to late August. They are much smaller than Ephoron. Anyone have similar experiences and been able to identify these ghosts?
This is my first post, I hope someone can help me out. Last week while fishing the Upper Delaware a spinner fall occurred about an hour or two before dark. The spinners never hit the water but hovered about 6 inches above the surface. Trout were jumping completely out of the water eating the insects out of the air.
The spinner was very hard to see and appeared a pale whitish - gray color, about a size 16-18. They were quite abundant, and very fragile, I couldn't catch one without mangling it beyond recognition.
I also have seen these spinners on Pocono streams in mid to late August. They are much smaller than Ephoron. Anyone have similar experiences and been able to identify these ghosts?
Millcreek on Sep 6, 2015September 6th, 2015, 4:16 pm EDT
I can only guess as to which spinner it was since several species fit in, including Dorothea infrequens along with Maccaffertium terminatum, Maccaffertium modestum and several Epeorus sp.
"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
-Albert Einstein
-Albert Einstein
Martinlf on Sep 6, 2015September 6th, 2015, 7:07 pm EDT
I wonder if Leucrocuta hebe or Leucrocuta aphrodite might also be possibilities? Here's what Gonzo had to say about little light-colored late season Pocono mayflies some years back:
"most of the little late-season Cahill-looking duns are Leucrocuta. . . . It is probably the most common L. spp. in the East and has a long hatching period that extends well into the fall."
"most of the little late-season Cahill-looking duns are Leucrocuta. . . . It is probably the most common L. spp. in the East and has a long hatching period that extends well into the fall."
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
Taxon on Sep 6, 2015September 6th, 2015, 11:45 pm EDT
Hi WBMike-
Welcome aboard :-)
Welcome aboard :-)
Crepuscular on Sep 8, 2015September 8th, 2015, 10:44 am EDT
I can only guess as to which spinner it was since several species fit in, including Dorothea infrequens
Dorothea infrequens ? did I miss something?
Millcreek on Sep 8, 2015September 8th, 2015, 1:09 pm EDT
Dorothea infrequens ? did I miss something?
No, I did. I meant Ephemerella dorothea dorothea. Got kind of tangled up. My apologies. :)
http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/743
"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
-Albert Einstein
-Albert Einstein
Crepuscular on Sep 11, 2015September 11th, 2015, 9:04 am EDT
Dorothea infrequens ? did I miss something?
No, I did. I meant Ephemerella dorothea dorothea. Got kind of tangled up. My apologies. :)
http://www.troutnut.com/specimen/743
No need to apologize!!! These things change from time to time and I thought I missed it.
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