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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.

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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Female Siphlonurus quebecensis (Siphlonuridae) (Gray Drake) Mayfly Dun from unknown in Wisconsin
This one hatched in my house after I brought some nymphs home to photograph.
Gutcutter
Gutcutter's profile picture
Pennsylvania

Posts: 470
Gutcutter on Feb 15, 2017February 15th, 2017, 1:29 am EST
Anybody have any abdomen dubbing/ribbing suggestions to imitate this?
All men who fish may in turn be divided into two parts: those who fish for trout and those who don't. Trout fishermen are a race apart: they are a dedicated crew- indolent, improvident, and quietly mad.

-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
PaulRoberts
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Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Feb 16, 2017February 16th, 2017, 5:38 am EST
Really? Spinners?
Gutcutter
Gutcutter's profile picture
Pennsylvania

Posts: 470
Gutcutter on Feb 16, 2017February 16th, 2017, 1:39 pm EST
Hi, Paul.
I have a few nice patterns for the much thinner and darker spinner.

But I'm interested in abdominal color suggestions for the plump duns.
All I've come up with, so far is something like this:

Thanks in advance.
Tony
All men who fish may in turn be divided into two parts: those who fish for trout and those who don't. Trout fishermen are a race apart: they are a dedicated crew- indolent, improvident, and quietly mad.

-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
PaulRoberts
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Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Feb 17, 2017February 17th, 2017, 1:22 am EST
Hi Tony,
I've not tied them, although I've collected them; Just not in trout water. Are you seeing duns on the water? They supposedly emerge after crawling out, but then that was supposed to be the case for Isonychia too.

What you have there looks pretty good. I found a photo I have of a female dun -taken immediately after it emerged ditch-side. It was very fresh so it was pale -with much pale yellow-olive in it. The image is very poor but I'll post it anyway. I think I have others that may be better. EDIT: I know why it's SO poor -it's a point-n-shoot copy from a 35mm slide. Anyway, maybe you get the gist -they will likely be paler at immediate emergence.

Taxon
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Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311
Taxon on Feb 17, 2017February 17th, 2017, 9:31 am EST
Hi Paul-

Could certainly be wrong, but that sure looks like a female imago to me. :-)
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
PaulRoberts
PaulRoberts's profile picture
Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Feb 17, 2017February 17th, 2017, 12:26 pm EST
Roger, you could be right. It was quite a while back and now looking at the background, it may have been in my RiverTank. I do have photos (35mm) from a little ditch in a hayfield that was a good 1-1/2mi. from the nearest stream. Pretty sure that is where the above one came from, although I don't remember particulars. I likely have notes somewhere though.
Jmd123
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Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Feb 19, 2017February 19th, 2017, 10:47 am EST
Nice looking flies there, Tony. Won't it be lovely when we can all start floating dry flies again? Might be sooner than later around here, we have an unseasonable warm spell and our waters are thawing out rapidly...

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

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