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.

Mount Deborah and Hess Mountains. Two of the greatest peaks of the Alaska Range rise behind the braided, glacial Susitna River. These massive mountains are 35 miles north of where I took this picture.

From the Susitna River in Alaska

Stream photos

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Ephemerella mucronata Mayfly Nymph Ephemerella mucronata Mayfly Nymph

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.

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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.

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Montana Trout love Yorkshire wets

Report at a Glance

General Region	Paradise Valley, south of Livingston, MT
Specific Location	spring creek, courtesy FFF conclave
Dates Fished	Aug. 2
Time of Day	noon to nine
Fish Caught	two browns and a rainbow
Conditions & Hatches	afternoon very windy, grew cloudy, few bugs and fewer fish. after 6, no wind, hatch of pale mayflies and some smaller olive looking ones water 56 degrees

Details and Discussion

CaseyP

Arlington, VA/ Mercersburg, PA

Posts: 653

CaseyP on Aug 2, 2007August 2nd, 2007, 5:37 pm EDT

caught three fish. one on a home-tied pheasant tail nymph in slow water (why do i spend any money at all on flies?). two on a waterhen bloa tied for trip to Yorkshire. used it when all the pale and olive colored emergers, duns, drys and whatevers failed. caught the first in front of the class i was taking, the second was on the last cast of the day. honestly! Softhackle and his brothers have gained another convert, big time. The only honest swipes those trout took were at the bloa. Best Fishing Buddy now wants to learn how to do this. guess it looked easier than slinging those drys into the most amazing set of cross currents and swells you ever did see. drag? oh brother...

"You can observe a lot by watching." Yogi Berra

Softhackle

Wellsville, NY

Posts: 540

Softhackle on Aug 3, 2007August 3rd, 2007, 3:23 am EDT

Casey,
Trout everywhere like the soft-hackles and flymphs. They fit the bill so perfectly. They are relatively easy to tie, and are very effective to represent a myriad of water-borne insects. The list of converts grows everyday.

Mark

"I have the highest respect for the skilled wet-fly fisherman, as he has mastered an art of very great difficulty." Edward R. Hewitt

Flymphs, Soft-hackles and Spiders: http://www.troutnut.com/libstudio/FS&S/index.html

Martinlf

Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047

Martinlf on Aug 4, 2007August 4th, 2007, 5:25 am EDT

I'm a believer, if not the most skilled wet fly fisherman. I don't use them as much as I probably should, but am determined to learn to fish them better.

"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Aug 4, 2007August 4th, 2007, 6:37 am EDT

Did the spring creek happen to be Armstrong?

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

CaseyP

Arlington, VA/ Mercersburg, PA

Posts: 653

CaseyP on Aug 8, 2007August 8th, 2007, 3:53 pm EDT

nope, not to worry, but I bet they would work there.

CAVEAT: turns out it's illegal to fish three hooks at once in Montana. My bad...

two at once, though--go for it!

"You can observe a lot by watching." Yogi Berra

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Mar 26, 2008March 26th, 2008, 12:08 pm EDT

Six of us fished a Livingston spring creek on June 30, 2007 from about 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. We were on the Missouri but had booked this one day before we flew out. We had absolutely incredible fishing. Two of the party fished nothing but nymphs pretty much for the whole day and they landed no less than fifty fish. Me and the other three guys fished dry all day and landed more than we cared to count.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.