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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.

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.
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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Smallstream
State College, PA

Posts: 103
Smallstream on Aug 16, 2007August 16th, 2007, 3:29 am EDT

Do you guys think this brookie hit the 10" mark?

pic of the stream

me peering over a small footbridge, for some reason the brookies didnt scoot for cover, strange.
IEatimago
Spring Mills, PA

Posts: 97
IEatimago on Aug 16, 2007August 16th, 2007, 4:15 am EDT
nice one small stream!
IEatimago
Spring Mills, PA

Posts: 97
IEatimago on Aug 16, 2007August 16th, 2007, 4:15 am EDT
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Aug 16, 2007August 16th, 2007, 1:09 pm EDT
There's only one thing I can call streams with fish like that: Holy Waters. And I'm not even religious! Small brookie streams are magical places with beautiful fish, good for cleansing the soul.

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Aug 16, 2007August 16th, 2007, 1:27 pm EDT
Maybe 10" if you use the "Fishermen's ruler".
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

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