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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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.
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.
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Report at a Glance
| General Region | Alaska |
| Specific Location | Skagway |
| Dates Fished | August |
| Time of Day | Morning |
| Fish Caught | Salmon |
| Conditions & Hatches | High water |
Details and Discussion
Leakyboots on Jan 23, 2017January 23rd, 2017, 9:07 pm EST
I made my first trip to Alaska last August. My wife and me flew in and did the land and cruise package. We were there 14 days. I got to go on a float trip on the Kanaei river with my wife who never fished with a fly rod. It was a nice trip but the water was high and fast. Sorry to say my wife didn't catch any fish but I got a dozen. Caught some on dry flies and caught my first Dolly.
On the cruise leg we stopped in Skagway and I booked a fly in Salmon trip. We took a float plane and landed in a bay at low tide. There was a small stream and the Salmon were running. There was 5 fishing with one guide. We used a small green streamer with barbless hooks. We all caught fish. I got three between 5 and 8 pounds with the biggest caught was a 12 pounder. The tide came in and the fishing slowed down. When the float plane came back we were standing on the last sand bar. The tide rose about ten feet. Caught my first Dolly and my first Salmon. Wish I would of had more time to Salmon fish. We used 8 weight Eco rods and couldn't believe how strong the fish were.
On the cruise leg we stopped in Skagway and I booked a fly in Salmon trip. We took a float plane and landed in a bay at low tide. There was a small stream and the Salmon were running. There was 5 fishing with one guide. We used a small green streamer with barbless hooks. We all caught fish. I got three between 5 and 8 pounds with the biggest caught was a 12 pounder. The tide came in and the fishing slowed down. When the float plane came back we were standing on the last sand bar. The tide rose about ten feet. Caught my first Dolly and my first Salmon. Wish I would of had more time to Salmon fish. We used 8 weight Eco rods and couldn't believe how strong the fish were.
Will Shaver
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