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.

Sunlight perfectly strikes the trees at a bend in the Foss River in the Washington Cascades.

From the Foss River in Washington

Stream photos

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Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Ventral view of a Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

With a bit of help from the microscope, this specimen keys clearly and unsurprisingly to Hydropsyche.

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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.

Tiny Blue Winged Olives

TimCat

Alanson, MI

Posts: 121

TimCat on May 1, 2016May 1st, 2016, 5:58 pm EDT

I fished the Black River in Michigan about a half hour from gaylord this Saturday morning. The only bugs I "recognized" on the surface were some sporadic Blue-Winged Olives coming off the surface. Not much of a hatch in the classic sense, and no fish were rising either. The water was just above 40 degrees F. As a novice, I am not positive this was baetis or baetidae, but they were green mayflies with purpleish and pinkish wings. These guys were tiny. If I had to guess a hook size for them it would be 24-26 or smaller. Is this possible for BWOs or am I mistaken? I always thought they weren't much smaller than size 18.

Sorry I don't have any pictures, but even if I took the time to take one, my phone would not be able to focus on something that small.

"If I'm not going to catch anything, then I 'd rather not catch anything on flies" - Bob Lawless

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on May 1, 2016May 1st, 2016, 6:27 pm EDT

No, you are probably right about them being baetids, though the odds are they probably aren't in the genus Baetis. The wing color you noticed sounds like a description of spinner wings in the right light conditions.

"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman

TimCat

Alanson, MI

Posts: 121

TimCat on May 2, 2016May 2nd, 2016, 3:27 pm EDT

Gotcha. Thanks for the reply. I was just surprised to see them being so small. I had nothing in my box even remotely close to that size, not even trico patterns.

"If I'm not going to catch anything, then I 'd rather not catch anything on flies" - Bob Lawless