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.
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This one seems to tentatively key to Holocentropus, although I can't make out the anal spines in Couplet 7 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae nor the dark bands in Couplet 4 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae, making me wonder if I went wrong somewhere in keying it out. I don't see where that could have happened, though. It might also be that it's a very immature larva and doesn't possess all the identifying characteristics in the key yet. If Holocentropus is correct, then Holocentropus flavus and Holocentropus interruptus are the two likely possibilities based on range, but I was not able to find a description of their larvae.
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By Troutnut on June 30th, 2018
After catching lots of small-stream fish Saturday, I drove Sunday with my wife up to a high lake for a bit of hiking and some non-serious fishing for stocked rainbows. I caught one, missed another, and didn't have time to wait around for more to swim into castable range.
We had a long drive out. The would be traffic across the pass on I-90 heading back toward Seattle, but I was eager just to get back down the mountain in one piece. We averaged 2 mph down the sketchy 2.5-mile Jeep trial leading back to the main forest road, where we could race along at 5-15 mph for several more miles.
We had a long drive out. The would be traffic across the pass on I-90 heading back toward Seattle, but I was eager just to get back down the mountain in one piece. We averaged 2 mph down the sketchy 2.5-mile Jeep trial leading back to the main forest road, where we could race along at 5-15 mph for several more miles.
Photos by Troutnut from Gallaher Head Lake in Washington
Comments / replies
Creno on Jul 3, 2018July 3rd, 2018, 7:21 am EDT
That is some nice country :-)
Jmd123 on Jul 3, 2018July 3rd, 2018, 10:23 am EDT
Gorgeous!! Spectacular topography, high-mountain conifers, pretty fish! How deep does that lake get, it looks shallow from your photos...? Again, what flies worked for you?
Jonathon
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Troutnut on Jul 3, 2018July 3rd, 2018, 6:19 pm EDT
The lake was mostly shallow, but there's a deep part near one end where I couldn't see the bottom, and the fish were mostly cruising around that and rising every once in a while. I was pressed for time and anxious to make sure my Jeep survived the drive out (it did fine), so I only fished for 20 minutes or so. Two fish were working near me; I caught one and spooked the other with a missed hookset. The fly was a size 12 beadhead pink squirrel (Wisconsin pattern and my go-to gaudy attractor nymph).
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Jmd123 on Jul 4, 2018July 4th, 2018, 5:49 am EDT
Attractors work, otherwise no one would have ever bothered coming up with the Royal Coachman, etc. You'll have to go back when you have more time! And trust your Jeep - I'm driving one now, considerably more suited to my "up North" lifestyle than the deceased Chevy Cobalt (that's another story)…
Jonathon
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Troutnut on Jul 4, 2018July 4th, 2018, 7:09 pm EDT
And trust your Jeep
I do, up to a point... the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk is about as good as a stock vehicle gets for offroad driving. But the "road" was still a bit beyond what I'm used to. It worked out fine, though. Here's somebody's Youtube video of the drive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqo5HAx08mI&t=2m5s (copy and paste the link; direct doesn't work for some reason).
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
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