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.

I caught a nice brookie a few weeks earlier in this pool at the junction of a split channel in the stream. The huge fallen tree is great cover.

From the Mystery Creek # 23 in New York

Stream photos

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Psychodidae True Fly Larva Psychodidae True Fly Larva

Lateral view of a Psychodidae True Fly Larva from Mystery Creek #308 in Washington

This wild-looking little thing completely puzzled me. At first I was thinking beetle or month larva, until I got a look at the pictures on the computer screen. I made a couple of incorrect guesses before entomologist Greg Courtney pointed me in the right direction with Psychodidae. He suggested a possible genus of Thornburghiella, but could not rule out some other members of the tribe Pericomini.

8 Recently Added Photos

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.

Iowa Driftless

KevinB
Iowa

Posts: 1

KevinB on Dec 7, 2019December 7th, 2019, 10:38 pm EST

Hello all, New to Troutnut. I've enjoyed reading a lot of the posts and it seems that there is a lot of knowledge that I need to soak up.I would like to start off with a question about the driftless in Iowa.Its a 2 to 3 hour drive for me and I have the goal of trout fishing at least once a month in 2020.Any suggestions on where to target and what fly's should I consider for winter fishing? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Dec 17, 2019December 17th, 2019, 4:20 am EST

Hello Kevin,

Well I for one don't live in Iowa and have never fished there. Maybe some other Troutnut members do and they will chime in to answer your questions. Have you tried doing some independent research on the Internet to learn more about the Iowa driftless area?

https://www.traveliowa.com/getinspireddetails/trout-amid-the-cows-and-willows--fishing-iowa-s-driftless-area/223/

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

RleeP
NW PA - Pennsylvania's Glacial Pothole Wonderland

Posts: 398

RleeP on Dec 17, 2019December 17th, 2019, 6:43 am EST

Hi Kevin: While local knowledge is always better, I fished the Iowa Driftless pretty extensively from about 2006-2014, when we moved back east to PA. If anything, based on what I read, the fishing has only got better in the interim. And it was very, very good when I was fishing it.

I'll send you a private message with some suggestions. Give me a day or two to get it done.

Lee

Martinlf

Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047

Martinlf on Dec 18, 2019December 18th, 2019, 4:37 am EST

Lee, glad you responded to Kevin. One think I really like about message boards is the way members sometimes connect and share. And a PM seems the right way to do this thing. Hope you have a great Christmas. I've enjoyed your posts over the years. Perhaps we can wet a line in the coming year. All best.

"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell

RleeP
NW PA - Pennsylvania's Glacial Pothole Wonderland

Posts: 398

RleeP on Dec 18, 2019December 18th, 2019, 4:57 am EST

Thanks, Louis. Best of the Holidays to you and yours as well. Let's try and get together to fish sometime this year. Sounds like a plan..:)

Lee

RleeP
NW PA - Pennsylvania's Glacial Pothole Wonderland

Posts: 398

RleeP on Dec 18, 2019December 18th, 2019, 5:00 am EST

Kevin... Private message sent. let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to anwer them.

Lee

Red_green_h

New Mexico

Posts: 64

Red_green_h on Jan 15, 2020January 15th, 2020, 3:22 pm EST

I grew up south of Mason City. While I never fly fished the Yellow River I've caught many a rainbow at The Yellow River state park with a spinning rod. I remember catching grasshoppers and putting them on a hook and absolutely killing it. I had a college professor who also talked about fly fishing by St. Ansgar on the Cedar and the Upper Iowa by Decorah.