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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.

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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Underwater photos from Cayuta Creek

A variety of cased caddisfly larvae, probably mostly Neophylax, have clustered along the backside of a rock in fast water.  There seem to be some Helicopsychidae larvae clustered along the bottom, and a few other taxa are mixed in.  It's interesting that several larvae have especially large stones placed over the front openings of their cases, perhaps to block the case off for pupation.

It does seem to be the wrong time of year for Neophylax to be pupating, but that was the ID given for one of these which I collected and photographed up close.

From Cayuta Creek in New York
A wide variety of caddis larvae and other insects have clustered together on the backside of this rock in fast water.

From Cayuta Creek in New York

Closeup insects by Troutnut from Cayuta Creek in New York

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