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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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PaulRoberts
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Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Feb 2, 2018February 2nd, 2018, 1:39 am EST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsUxY7DnSFY

Obviously shot out of the water. Would love to see how they distribute underwater. Seems like a great place for a trout fry to station. Which also suggests why the eggs are so often laid beneath larger substrate out in current. Trout fry and other tiny fry would be relegated to quiet currents near shorelines. Wonder how often these hatching larvae feed sculpins and dace?
Iasgair
Iasgair's profile picture
Colorado

Posts: 148
Iasgair on Feb 5, 2018February 5th, 2018, 11:32 am EST
Looked like a sci-fi movie gone wrong, LOL.

But I see your point. I can see trout fry wanting to station in areas with these around.
Martinlf
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Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Feb 6, 2018February 6th, 2018, 4:12 pm EST
Awww, the little buggers look cute when they hatch. Cool.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Millcreek
Healdsburg, CA

Posts: 344
Millcreek on Feb 8, 2018February 8th, 2018, 1:45 am EST
I remember watching some rainbow fingerlings and California roach feeding in a small pool.Instead of facing into the current as was usual they were facing the bottom and picking up something there. I got curious and waded out for a couple of small rocks. Washing them off and looking at them under a microscope, I found hundreds of small baetid and caddisfly larvae about 1-2 mm.
"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
-Albert Einstein
PaulRoberts
PaulRoberts's profile picture
Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Feb 8, 2018February 8th, 2018, 3:39 am EST
Neat how fish can find what's good for them. It's more varied than a lot of people probably suspect.

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