Eyewitness Account

So, I had to see for myself, if in fact, the hexagenia hatch may have started on Back Lake. This is the time of the season, after all, and everyone is anxious to enjoy some great nights of top water fishing.

There had been rumors that maybe the hatch had started, but not much concrete evidence. The clearest indication that the hex hatch has begun is when we see them plastered against the outside of the lodge and the “fish house” at our dock. Almost no sign of that, unfortunately.

Wayward hexagenias also end up in our green boats at Tall Timber when the hatch is on, and there has also been scant confirmation of that the last couple mornings. Not looking good, you might say? Well, even the hex hatch has to start somewhere, and it appears that last night was the first true night of the hatch, but I had my doubts for quite a while …

Not much was happening for the first two hours while I was out there, having only glimpsed one fleeing hexagenia. There were a few rising fish here and there however, and my Woodduck Heron was busy fooling smallie after smallie. There was a gentle breeze out of the east (distant thunderheads swirling that never reached us), but very little happening until about 8:45 PM.

Someone or something hit the switch. First, the wind settled down and a multitude of tiny midges were coming off, so many that it seemed like they filled the air like snowflakes in a storm. The fish were probably keying in on this hatch early on, but as it grew darker, the unmistakable forms of hexagenias bubbled up on the lake’s now smooth surface. If you’ve never seen a hex hatch as it happens, it is something like seeing a regatta of tiny sailboats on a calm sea – they are impressive.

The fish knew they were there too, as the feeding activity switched to the hexes at this point and the frenzy was on. Whether they were slurping or ravenously chasing the behemoths (yes, some got away to procreate, if the birds didn’t get them), the next thirty minutes were typically exciting and frustrating at the same time.

A nice rainbow managed to pick my offering (a Hex Usual) out of the smorgasbord of naturals, but that would be my only trout of the night. The rest were hungry bass, some taken on a Hex Dun – there’s two more weeks of this nightly phenomenon coming …

Observations

The surface water temperature of Back Lake was a robust 74 degrees, much warmer than normal for this point in the summer. While the weather has been brilliant for our vacationers at Tall Timber, it has warmed the lake prematurely, and this might have an effect on how anglers fish the hatch.

The hatch will still come off as usual, but some different tactics might be in order to catch trout. If you fish with a sink tip prior to the top water activity, a heavier tip might be the route to go, as the trout are presumably deeper in the water column with the warm water temp.

Also, deeper areas of the lake might be better places to target trout. The bass will be fine hanging out in the shallower parts of the lake, but it is doubtful that trout will do the same. If you are a catch and release angler, play your trout quickly and handle them gently before releasing. Going barbless will make it much easier to release fish unharmed too.

Another interesting thing last night was a separate hatch that I witnessed at the same time as the hexes were making their appearance. It looked like a large (1″?) stonefly – down wing on the back, very similar to the salmon fly that they fish out west. It looked too small to be a dragonfly and too large to be a damsel. There were more than a few of these insects too, and the fish were also taking them. Just another thing to think about …