classic Michigan dry fly · before 1950
Michigan Mayfly, Dark and Light
Also called Dark Michigan Mayfly, Light Michigan Mayfly
Unverified origin No public source describing either fly was found.
History
This pair of Hex duns dates from before 1950, and the tyer is not known. The Dark version stood for the male dun and the Light version for the female. The Hex (Hexagenia limbata) is the largest mayfly on Michigan trout streams, and it hatches mostly after dark from late June into early July.
Both share bucktail tails and upright bucktail wings over a dubbed fur body, and differ mainly in the shade of body and blue dun hackle. Neither is sold commercially today.
Materials
| Hook | Dry, sizes not recorded |
|---|---|
| Tail | Brown bucktail |
| Wings | Brown bucktail, upright and divided |
| Body | Dubbed fox or rabbit fur |
| Rib | Claret or dark brown |
| Hackle | Blue dun: dark on the Dark version, medium on the Light |
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.