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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.

We were lucky to be able to fish through this storm as it skirted around us to the north, giving us just enough clouds to prompt a BWO hatch but keeping the lighting at a safe distance. From Slough Creek in Wyoming

Stream photos

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Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly LarvaHydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva
Ventral view of a Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
With a bit of help from the microscope, this specimen keys clearly and unsurprisingly to Hydropsyche.
9 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.

  1. Trout Streams
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  2. Pennsylvania
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  3. Brodhead Creek

  1. Trout Streams
    2. ›
  2. Pennsylvania
    3. ›
  3. Brodhead Creek

Landscape & scenery photos from Brodhead Creek

Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
Early morning sunshine beats through the trees, heating the water up for a Drunella hatch. From Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
A few nice trout were rising in this deep pool during the tail end of a morning Drunella hatch, but I didn't manage to fool them. From Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania

Underwater photos from Brodhead Creek

Late May finds many trout streams brimming with tiny minnow fry in large schools.

On-stream insect photos from Brodhead Creek

A freshly emerged female Drunella cornuta dun. From Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
Here's the bottom of a freshly emerged male Drunella cornuta dun, showing a lighter shade of olive than the specimens I photographed with my better camera in the evening. From Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania

Closeup insects by Troutnut from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania

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Tipulidae (Crane Fly) True Fly Adult
Lateral view of a Tipulidae (Crane Fly) True Fly Adult from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
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Male Nigronia serricornis (Fishfly) Hellgrammite Adult
Lateral view of a Male Nigronia serricornis (Corydalidae) (Fishfly) Hellgrammite Adult from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
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Male Paragnetina immarginata (Beautiful Stonefly) Stonefly Adult
Lateral view of a Male Paragnetina immarginata (Perlidae) (Beautiful Stonefly) Stonefly Adult from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
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Male Drunella cornuta (Large Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun
Lateral view of a Male Drunella cornuta (Ephemerellidae) (Large Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
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Male Ephemerella dorothea dorothea (Pale Evening Dun) Mayfly Dun
Lateral view of a Male Ephemerella dorothea dorothea (Ephemerellidae) (Pale Evening Dun) Mayfly Dun from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
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Alloperla (Sallfly) Stonefly Adult
Lateral view of a Alloperla (Chloroperlidae) (Sallfly) Stonefly Adult from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
This specimen was completely green when I collected it from among many others gathered on a midstream rock along with their nymphal shucks early in the morning. There was also a yellow one with them, which I assumed was a different species. Now that I've seen how this one started changing from green to yellow, I have to wonder if they weren't the same species and the yellow one was just older.
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Geometridae (Inchworm) Moth Larva
Lateral view of a Geometridae (Inchworm) Moth Larva from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
I caught this inchworm lowering itself to the surface of a trout stream from its silk thread. I saw a couple others floating on the surface, so it's likely the trout were familiar with them.
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Female Drunella cornuta (Large Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun
Lateral view of a Female Drunella cornuta (Ephemerellidae) (Large Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
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Female Drunella cornuta (Large Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Spinner
Lateral view of a Female Drunella cornuta (Ephemerellidae) (Large Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Spinner from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
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Female Dolophilodes distincta (Tiny Black Gold Speckled-Winged Caddis) Caddisfly Adult
Dorsal view of a Female Dolophilodes distincta (Philopotamidae) (Tiny Black Gold Speckled-Winged Caddis) Caddisfly Adult from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
This is a really strange specimen. I would guess it's one of the dry caddis pupa that scoots across the surface of the water as a pupa rather than emerging right away. Its "wing pads" sure don't look right, though. Maybe they're deformed and that's why I was able to find this one as a pupa in the first place. It also looks like it might be a caddis adult missing its wings, but since I found three of them, that kind of rules out such an anomalous maiming. I found this one and one other on a midstream rock. The previous day, I caught a similar creature kicking around on the water's surface. This one died and shriveled a little bit before I could photograph it, but it's basically in its original shape.
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Male Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun
Lateral view of a Male Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Brodhead Creek in Pennsylvania
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