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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.

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella mucronata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.
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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This discussion is about Penn's Creek.

Here's the valley of a trout stream after a rainstorm.

From Penn's Creek in Pennsylvania
Panorama of a trout stream valley after a May thunderstorm.

From Penn's Creek in Pennsylvania
An afternoon thunderstorm left mist in all the valleys along this limestone spring creek in Pennsylvania.

From Penn's Creek in Pennsylvania
Penn's Creek in Pennsylvania
Martinlf
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Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Feb 1, 2016February 1st, 2016, 5:09 pm EST
Something to dream on as the snow melts.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Crepuscular
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Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920
Crepuscular on Feb 3, 2016February 3rd, 2016, 5:02 pm EST
Something to dream on as the snow melts.


why wait for that? ;)
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Feb 3, 2016February 3rd, 2016, 7:47 pm EST
Afraid I'll have to wait for those bugs Jason posted up for Penns, but I did find some fish eating olives yesterday. Sweet.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Crepuscular
Crepuscular's profile picture
Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920
Crepuscular on Feb 4, 2016February 4th, 2016, 3:10 am EST
I did find some fish eating olives yesterday. Sweet.

Good to hear!
Gilsau
Gilsau's profile picture
miami

Posts: 7
Gilsau on Jul 11, 2016July 11th, 2016, 2:28 pm EDT
good to know haha..
Dmcwil01
Posts: 1
Dmcwil01 on Mar 17, 2019March 17th, 2019, 10:01 pm EDT
Here is something you could do this spring....Hopefully the snow is melted by June.

http://www.springcreektroutcamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/joe-humphreys-flyer.pdf

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