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Hexagenia limbata mayfly hatchHexagenia limbata, the second largest North American mayfly species, is one of Wisconsin's super hatches and brings together fly fisherman from all over. It is also the one mayfly hatch that even the largest trout may be found feeding on the surface for these large mayflies. The Hex hatch can become so heavy on some rivers that it has been known to make roads and bridges slick. The beating of large mayfly wings and the loud slurping and splashing sounds of frantically feeding trout in the twilight hours is something you will never forget. The nymphs of Hexagenia limbata live in the muck, sand, and silty bottoms of pools and back waters of many Wisconsin streams and lakes. At dusk, in late June to mid-July the nymphs begin to come out of their burrows in the mucky bottoms and wiggle and swim towards the surface. These partially emerging duns are extremely vulnerable to eagerly waiting trout, smallmouth bass or other fish. At this time, a wiggle nymph or a large emerger pattern can be very effective. Once they shuck their nymphal case the large yellowish Hex duns pop to the surface and try to become airborne quickly before being devoured. This is when you will begin to hear the loud slurping and splashing noises from frantically feeding trout. A large, extended body comparadun on a heavy tippet may help you find the trout of a lifetime during the twilight Hex hatch. (Note: Hexagenia limbata duns and spinners do vary some what in overall size and coloration. See the photo below as an example.) After a couple days of hatching the Hexagenia limbata spinners will join the emerging duns in the twilight hours of darkness. At this time a good pen light is needed to help you switch from a Hex dun or emerger fly pattern to a large Hex spinner pattern. All in all, if you hit this hatch right you can enjoy fishing for large trout from dusk until around midnight when the last spinners drop to the water. See photos below:
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