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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.
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.

TNEAL
GRAYLING. MICHIGAN

Posts: 278
TNEAL on Sep 13, 2015September 13th, 2015, 4:22 am EDT
Jason has kindly allowed me to share that I am "over hackled' with saddles and will make them available to troutnutters at my cost. I have 35-40 or so that I won't be using for at least five years. Let me know if you are interested.

Tim
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Sep 13, 2015September 13th, 2015, 11:12 am EDT
Hey Tim, what colors do you have? One can never have too many (OK, perhaps you do...).

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
TNEAL
GRAYLING. MICHIGAN

Posts: 278
TNEAL on Sep 15, 2015September 15th, 2015, 9:06 am EDT
Jonathon,

I have grizzly, brown, barred ginger, dyed black, dun, cream and ginger.
Roguerat
Roguerat's profile picture
Posts: 456
Roguerat on Sep 15, 2015September 15th, 2015, 1:42 pm EDT
Tim,

Picking nits here but is the ginger light or medium?

And, being saddles, are they sized for a range of hooks?

Lots of questions, but I might be interested.

tight lines from a fellow Michigander albeit south of your stomping/fishing grounds (I'm nearer the 'west coast' L Michigan area...).

I was fairly close to Grayling a few weeks back, on the Big Manistee at CCC Bridge and roughin' it at the campground. Heaven on earth...

Roguerat

'Less is more...'

Ludwig Mies Vande Rohe
TNEAL
GRAYLING. MICHIGAN

Posts: 278
TNEAL on Sep 15, 2015September 15th, 2015, 8:07 pm EDT
Roguerat,

The ginger is medium..

They will tie a variety of sizes depending on the saddle. Let me know what you are looking for and I'll see if something fits.

PM me if you would..

Tim
Wiflyfisher
Wiflyfisher's profile picture
Wisconsin

Posts: 622
Wiflyfisher on Sep 23, 2015September 23rd, 2015, 3:38 pm EDT
You have had grizzly saddles for 5 years? You mean you sat on them through the hair fade craze??? Whiting is still holding on to his grizz saddles and capes hoping for a return of the hair feather fade.
TNEAL
GRAYLING. MICHIGAN

Posts: 278
TNEAL on Sep 24, 2015September 24th, 2015, 4:24 am EDT
I never sold any of the 130 or so saddles I own. Disconcerting to me that the companies turned their backs on those who put them in business in the first place. I should say I never sold any at the outrageous prices they were commanding. I did sell a few to fellow fly tyers.

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