The Hex Hatch by Steve Clark Like mammoth military aircraft once lofting skyward from the now-closed Wurtsmith Air Force Base, large Mayflies hovering above the Au Sable River will be as thick as B-52's over Baghdad during the Gulf War on early July nights. Much like the on-going conflict in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, a "battle" rages on the Au Sable River annually, a battle not waged by men with small arms and mobile armor, however. The warriors I speak of are bedecked in camouflage waders, armed with 6 wt. fly rods, spools of leader material and boxes of flowing, attractive imitations of aquatic forage. The adversary they pursue is a formidable one; sleek and powerful yet cunning and stealthy; one which uses darkness to its advantage but can be excited into making an occasional fatal mistake, should it be deemed to be so by its opposition. As with the aforementioned conflict, our camo-clad warriors will achieve success in their pursuits of this worthy opponent if they enter the 'battlefield' prepared with proper knowledge. Now, I would expect any Midwestern fly fisherman worth his salt to be prepared by carrying an array of Hex patterns (Hexagenia Limbata) to take advantage of a feeding frenzy when this fly appears on the water. One of the best Hex patterns I have found is the dry fly known simply as "The B-52." Click Here for tying instructions for the B-52 Many fishermen will tell you they can fish a Hex hatch without any problems simply because they have put in time and paid their dues "night fishing". Well, prior night fishing experience will help some but a hex hatch is a whole different ballgame that can't really be lumped into a "night fishing trip." Anytime you tangle with a Brown Trout capable of swallowing a 10" Rainbow whole, silently rising to the surface to sip a defenseless morsel in the glum darkness within fifteen feet of your waders, you'd better be sporting a different type of constitution than most other night fishermen. It's easy to get excited and spook that big old wary brown but, once he's "put down", he is most likely done feeding for the night. One of the most important factors for a successful night of Hex fishing is to familiarize yourself with the area you plan to fish after dark during the day. Do this for several reasons; safety, of course, being your primary concern while fishing at night, so you want to thoroughly check out the area in daylight beforehand. Make special note of where drop-offs, big rocks or logs are, because obstacles that don't pose any problem to a wading angler during the day can put an instant, dangerous damper on an otherwise enjoyable night. When fishing in the darkness you want to be sure to have a few things handy. First, always carry two types of lighting with you. You should have a larger light for traveling to and from your intended site as well as a smaller headlamp or clip-on for close-up work. I prefer the LED bulb style of headlamp simply because it burns more efficiently allowing for longer battery life, while giving off a nice soft glow that doesn't spook fish as much as a concentrated beam of light from a flashlight tends to do. If you're anything like me and are no longer a youngster (yeah, at heart maybe, but that doesn't count when you're a half-hour's trudge both ways through the bush after an exhausting day at work, no supper, eyes tired, getting whacked in the puss by branches you don't see 'cause your glasses are all fogged up...get the picture?) and tying your fly onto a tippet can be a challenge even in daylight, this evolution becomes even more difficult in complete darkness, so think about this as the point where those handy little fly threaders become priceless to you. Another great tool of the night fisherman is a wading staff. It is always better to feel that big rock or drop-off out ahead of time with your staff, rather than to step into or onto it unexpectedly. A wading staff makes a far more stable structure out of you as well, because any structure supported at more points is less liable to take a fall; think tripod instead of bipod, a leaning post instead of being balanced against a moving force, etc. Anything that helps you stabilize yourself in a current or on your little trek is a worthwhile tool to have available. Make sure to have some strong bug dope with you or be comfortable wearing a headnet and cloth gloves to ward off becoming an unwilling, uncomfortable blood donor. Another idea which recently came to market and you might seriously consider is: clothing manufacturers have undertaken to apply the insect repellent known as Permethrin to clothing, describing it as survivable through anywhere between thirty-five and fifty washings with no reduced effectiveness on repellency. At this time and by my observations alone, Orvis markets some items in their line with the repellent protection on board; you may find this type of thing available by different brand names or from other outlets. Those pesky little "skeeters" (some of which seem about as big as fighter aircraft!) will definitely make you into their a la carte meal on the river at night, so be prepared. Lastly, in conjunction with "bug dope", don't be a 'dope' and get it on some of the things it regularly orders at mealtime- your precious lines, plastic fly boxes, plastic eyeglass lenses and the like- most bug dope formulas will order these things as appetizers before the main meal! These are a few suggestions regarding equipment that I've found to be handy; for your nighttime excursions there are, of course, other things you'll include in your handy kit but this piece should get you started in the right direction. If you've never experienced a Hex hatch then I highly recommend you do so. The largest trout in the river, the one that usually stay hidden 50 weeks out of the year, and only comes out to make dinner out of a helpless 10" trout, will throw all caution to the wind when the Hex spinners start to fall. These trout of monstrous proportions can't resist a three-inch long mayfly struggling on the surface, so take full advantage of this weakness. So, the slow dog days of summer don't signal the end of good trout fishing; rather, they should signal the beginning of some large trout fishing, you just need to shift your fishing time to the bugs & fishes' schedules. Spend the day playing with some smaller rainbows or maybe even getting a few things done around the cabin but right before dusk settles on the valley, make sure you are in position on the river with a 6 wt. and a box full of B-52's, because the fish will be ready. Will you? 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