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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.

Of all the pools I've fished, this one was most deserving of the colorful little brook trout it held. From Mystery Creek # 89 in New York

Stream photos

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Female Sweltsa borealis (Boreal Sallfly) Stonefly AdultFemale Sweltsa borealis (Boreal Sallfly) Stonefly Adult
Lateral view of a Female Sweltsa borealis (Chloroperlidae) (Boreal Sallfly) Stonefly Adult from Harris Creek in Washington
I was not fishing, but happened to be at an unrelated social event on a hill above this tiny creek (which I never even saw) when this stonefly flew by me. I assume it came from there. Some key characteristics are tricky to follow, but process of elimination ultimately led me to Sweltsa borealis. It is reassuringly similar to this specimen posted by Bob Newell years ago. It is also so strikingly similar to this nymph from the same river system that I'm comfortable identifying that nymph from this adult. I was especially pleased with the closeup photo of four mites parasitizing this one.
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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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Freshwater Invertebrate Underwater Pictures

Freshwater Invertebrate Underwater Pictures

Underwater photos of freshwater invertebrates in their natural habitat.

Hundreds of cased caddisfly larvae live on this log in a small brook trout stream. From Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
Several Baetidae nymphs line up on a rock. From Mongaup Creek in New York
This is my favorite underwater picture so far. It shows a bunch of Simuliidae (black fly) larvae clinging to a rock and swinging in the fast current. There are also at least four visible mayfly nymphs, probably in the family Baetidae. From Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
This is a close-up underwater view of a stillborn Ephemerella subvaria (Henrickson) female dun. From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York
A Brachycentrus "Apple Caddis" pupa scoots around in the surface film. Apparently it had some difficulty emerging, so I was able to slip my camera underneath it and take a picture from below. From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York
This picture from below shows a stillborn Ephemerella subvaria (Hendrickson) dun drifting on the surface amidst a number of shed pupal skins from Brachycentrus caddisflies which were heavily hatching that day. From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York
There are several mayfly and stonefly nymphs clinging to this log. From Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
This Brachycentrus "Apple Caddis" struggled more than its kin in escaping its pupal skin, enabling me to take an underwater picture of it from directly below. This is sort of a trout's eye view, but I used the flash for the picture so the transparent shuck appears far brighter than it really is. From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York
There's a large Ephemerella subvaria nymph in the top left.
The white blotches on this rock are Leucotrichia caddisfly cases, and the wispy tubes are cases made by a type of midge.
Some large Ephemerella mayfly nymphs cling to a log. In the background, hundreds of Simuliidae black fly larvae swing in large clusters in the current.
Cased caddis larvae blanket this section of stream bottom. From Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
Three big Ephemerella subvaria mayfly nymphs share a rock with some cased caddis larvae.
This Ephemerella subvaria (Hendrickson) nymph picture is one of my favorites.
The West Branch of the Delaware River in New York
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