Hex Dun
The Hex hatch is the stuff of legend — it happens after dark in June and July on Michigan's Au Sable and similar rivers, bringing the biggest trout of the year to the surface. The Hex Dun imitates the freshly-emerged dun floating vulnerably in the current. Fish it at dusk and into the night, listening for the distinctive sipping sound of large browns.
- Type
- dry fly (Mayfly)
- Hook sizes
- #6–8
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best seasons
- summer
Materials
- hook: 2X long dry fly hook #6–8
- thread: Cream or yellow 6/0
- tail: Cream hackle fibers or moose mane, forked
- body: Pale yellow or cream dubbing, segmented with thread
- ribbing: Yellow thread or monofilament
- wing: Gray poly yarn or deer hair, upright
Tying steps
- Mount a size 6–8 2XL dry fly hook; start thread and tie in two forked moose mane tail fibers at the bend.
- Wrap a smooth thread underbody from bend to the 2/3 point.
- Dub a thick, tapered cream or pale yellow body; pinch-twist thread ribbing over for segmentation.
- Tie in a generous bunch of gray poly yarn upright at the 2/3 mark as the wing.
- Select two oversized cream or ginger hackles and tie both in behind the wing base.
- Wind both hackles 5–6 turns behind and 2 turns in front of the wing to create dense flotation.
- Tie off hackles, trim excess, and build a neat small head.
- Whip finish; treat the hackle fibers with hydrophobic powder before night fishing.