modern Michigan dry fly · late 1980s
Bell's Hexagenia
Unverified origin Only the Michigan Dry Flies archive supports the tyer, date and recipe; no public source was found.
History
Jim Bell of Muskegon is credited with this Hex dun from the late 1980s. It is a plain hackled drake: a pale yellow wool body, a split calf-tail wing, and a thick collar of brown hackle to float a big hook. The Hex (Hexagenia limbata) is the largest mayfly on Michigan trout streams, and it hatches mostly after dark from late June into early July.
Tyers can also wind the hackle parachute style around the wing for a lower-riding fly.
Materials
| Hook | Dry, 3XL, sizes 6 to 8 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Pheasant tail fibers |
| Body | Pale yellow wool |
| Wing | Calf tail, split into a delta shape |
| Hackle | Three brown hackles, wound heavy |
Sources
Know more about this fly's history, or spot a mistake? Send a correction.
No photo yet. Every photo on michfly is of a fly tied for the site, so they're added a few at a time.
Original recipe cards for many Michigan patterns are kept at the Michigan Dry Flies archive, built by the late Tom Deschaine.