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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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.

I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.

The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.

Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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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Martinlf has attached these 8 pictures to this report. The message is below.
Floating for smallies
Nymphing a riffle
Pretty brown Marv caught nymphing
One of my browns
Another brown on a nymph
A pretty smallie
Smallmouth on a fluke.
Another smallie

Report at a Glance

General RegionCentral Pennsylvania
Dates FishedJuly 12-July 15
Time of DayMorning to Night, with breaks
Fish CaughtBrowns, Bows, and Smallmouth
Conditions & HatchesMostly sunny. No significant hatches

Details and Discussion

Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Jul 20, 2019July 20th, 2019, 1:11 am EDT
My nephew Marvin came to Pennsylvania this year, mainly to fish for smallmouth. But high water kept trout streams viable, so we fished a couple of them. We used both fly rods and conventional gear, catching fish on streamers, poppers, nymphs, flukes, and swimbaits. It's always good fishing with Marvin, and he carries a camera, so we get a few photos.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Oldredbarn
Oldredbarn's profile picture
Novi, MI

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on Jul 20, 2019July 20th, 2019, 2:51 am EDT
Louis. That last one looks full of crayfish!

Nice tradition you two have going on. It’s been fun sharing it with you two over the years.

Good stuff! 👍

Spence
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively

"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Partsman
Partsman's profile picture
bancroft michigan

Posts: 321
Partsman on Jul 21, 2019July 21st, 2019, 11:57 am EDT
Great pictures, you guys now how to do it right!
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Jul 30, 2019July 30th, 2019, 10:00 am EDT
Thanks, guys. We had a great time. I'm probably off to Oregon again next year.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Jul 31, 2019July 31st, 2019, 6:37 am EDT
FAT BOYS!!! Well done, Louis! Yep, as in my latest post, these trips with family and/or friends are always special. Especially when nice fish are caught! We didn't score big on my latest visit with the boys but we sure did see some pretty territory, which needs further exploration on my part...but you guys did great, some hard-bent rods there!


Thanks for sharing your latest adventure and of course tight lines and dancing flies on your next outing!

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Feb 22, 2021February 22nd, 2021, 5:54 am EST
Trout and bass for Grayson.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell

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