What Hex Pattern Works Best?

That’s a frequent question at this time of the year on Back Lake, and unfortunately for us anglers, there’s no simple answer. There are many different hexagenia patterns, and they all seem to work at some point, so knowing when to use them might be most important to anglers.

This post will focus on those fly patterns that are commonly used during the hex hatch, so forgive me for a couple glaring omissions that would would also work well in a pinch.

For instance, there is no doubt that a properly presented large Yellow or Brown Hornberg, and even a Stimulator would pass for an enticing meal to a hungry trout’s discerning eye. Way back in the day, we had old timers at Tall Timber that swore by the “Haystack” as their go to pattern during the hex hatch – we don’t carry that one in our fly shop and at times I wish we did. It was a killer back then.

Emergers

My list is short, but very important. Commonly used prior to the height of the hatching activity, they are devastating patterns and can also be productive later in the evening, even as fish are slurping down the duns. One guest of ours only uses an emerger during the hex hatch, and has had great success doing it. Sinking lines are best with these flies, stripped slowly to imitate a rising hex nymph.

• Woodduck Heron
• Sparrow (Tan)
• Brown Owl

Last night, my boat was extremely successful with emerger patterns. There was just a bit of wind and the cooler conditions brought on by a passing front seemed to delay the  dun activity on top. We stuck with these patterns for most of the night and caught and released 15-20 trout and a number of Back Lake “Greenies” as well.

As the evening wears on and the fish are nearer the surface, cast these emergers on a floating line.

hex-hatch-june-23 from Tall Timber on Vimeo.

Duns/Cripples

There is nothing like casting a ginormous fly and watching it get crushed by an opportunistic trout on the surface. Sadly, although we are casting the largest flies we can during the hex hatch, these might not even match the size of the naturals that are coming off. There’s a bunch of patterns that work as duns, and there’s no silver bullet either – they all work at one point or another, so if that’s the way you want to pursue trout during the hex hatch, be willing to change it up if your fly of choice isn’t producing. Subtle movements are best with dun patterns, and your casting had better be up to snuff.

• Hex Usual
• Foam Hex
• Emma Nymph
• Paradrake Hex
• Sexy Hex
• Hex Dun
• Mimic May Hex

One point of clarification. There are true dun patterns, resembling a hex that has fully emerged and is about to fly the friendly skies, then there are the “cripple” patterns.

Cripples are flies that imitate a hex that is having difficulty shedding its exoskeleton, and therefore are also excellent patterns for those trout eyeing an easy meal. Twitching your offering slightly often proves too tempting for the fish, so be prepared for a sudden strike.

• Hex Cripple
• Emma Nymph (when not riding high on the water)
• Popcorn Cripple
• Flutterglow Hex

Spinners

It could be difficult to rouse yourself from all of your sweet dreams of rising and hungry trout from the night before, but if you can manage to do so, going out on the lake at first light to fish the spinner fall might be something for you. It’s a short window of time to do it (half an hour before sunrise – 6:00 AM), but why not? The hex hatch only lasts for two weeks a year, so you might as well get the most out of it.

In all honesty, I’ve only been able to motivate myself to do it once, and while it wasn’t especially productive (I remember a couple of solid strikes at my offerings, but that was about all), it was great seeing the lake wake up from the night before.

• Lucca’s Hex Spinner
• Sexy Hex Spinner

Remember to practice catch and release and pinch your barbs down everybody, and stop by the Tall Timber Fly Shop for any hex patterns that you might need.

Open 7:30 AM – 10 PM every day.