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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.

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.
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.

Landscape & scenery photos from the Yakima River

I caught this 18-incher about half an hour after playing for 3-5 minutes and then losing what I'm pretty sure was the same fish. It's the first time a big trout ever gave me a second chance. Both hookings were on a size 18 parachute BWO to match the light Baetid hatch the fish were rising to.
Mule deer on a hillside above the Yakima

From the Yakima River in Washington
Closeup of the 20-incher
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
When we finally found some rising fish, they were in an almost-unapproachable foamy eddy on the far side of some fast, deep, unwadeable water that would yank on my fly soon after it hit the water. It took lots of tries with trick casts to catch a few rainbows here.

From the Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
The Yakima River in Washington
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