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.

This little pool in update New York is enjoyed by many tourists every day, and it still holds a few trout -- stockers mostly, but you can't complain about the setting!

From Mystery Creek # 62 in New York

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.

Stonefly confusion

Feathers5
Posts: 287

Feathers5 on Mar 7, 2017March 7th, 2017, 1:11 am EST

We have 2 stoneflies hatch now in PA. One I call the snow-stone because it's easily seen walking the snow banks, and is very tiny. I believe it's entomological name is Taeniopterygidae?
The other one is larger like a size 14 or 16. Is it the Early brownstone? What size is the nymph and adult?

Millcreek
Healdsburg, CA

Posts: 344

Millcreek on Mar 7, 2017March 7th, 2017, 4:28 am EST

Feathers5-

These links may help, or they may not :).

http://paaquaticfliesrus.bd.psu.edu/webroot/Stonefly/StoneflyCommonNames.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2zoYboWNnI

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
-Albert Einstein

Crepuscular

Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920

Crepuscular on Mar 7, 2017March 7th, 2017, 9:52 pm EST

We have 2 stoneflies hatch now in PA. One I call the snow-stone because it's easily seen walking the snow banks, and is very tiny. I believe it's entomological name is Taeniopterygidae?
The other one is larger like a size 14 or 16. Is it the Early brownstone? What size is the nymph and adult?

The small stoneflies you are seeing on the snow are likely Capniidae. I don't think I've ever caught a fish on an imitation of that fly. The larger ones are the Taeniopterygidae. Now those are a different story, and often account for some decent dry fly fishing. I'd say they are around a size 16.They often look bigger because their wings extend a little past the abdomen. But I pretty much tie all my adult imitations on a size 16.