With the trout fishing season over at the end of September, I visited one my favourite ponds in early Octiber for a little dipping with my sampling net and came up with a surprisingly large number of Corixa. The Corixa in the attached image was photographed swimming around in water contained in a glass pot measuring approximately 10 cm square (and with a sprig of weed). It's been interesting watching the Corixa going to the surface on a regular basis to replace the supply of air (the air can be seen as a silver area under the head & thorax) - it gives a good clue on how to fish the imitation with a sink & draw retrieve. All specimens have now been returned to the pond.

There are approximately 30 UK Corixinae species and this one is a medium sized specimen that I'm reasonably certain is Hespercorixa linnaei. About 6 of the species can be found in rivers

Enjoy

Ray

I’ve removed this image because of unauthorised use after it had been downloaded from the forum – all my images bear a copy-right signature so they clearly should not be used without having first obtained permission. I’m disappointed to have to do this but feel I don’t have much option.

That is really excellent Ray, thanks. Plenty food for thought there.

Cracking photo, love the patternation on the back. The eyes stand out as a big feature in the photo, do you think we should pay as much attention to those in our immitations as we do the legs. back and air bubble?

Great picture as always . I had a corixa land in our back garden once which I presume came from one of the neighbouring rivers but I've never seen one in any kick samples to date. Maybe they prefer the deeper water...

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Musha rig um du rum da

Great info & picture. Thank you

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Cheers guys.

MOT, I've changed my regular Corixa pattern to take into account the red eyes; I first tried red varnish but found it looked much to bright, my latest attempt is with red tying thread and clear varnish - think it looks OK.

DB; I've only once found a Corixa in a river kick sample.

Ray

Thanks Ray, will give it a go and see if it makes a difference

Hi', DB,
I have been lead to believe that Corixae are essentially shallow water dwellers, as they have to surface for air. I have seen them under the ice on a fishery margin only a very few inches deep -- Oak Bank, near Longtown, shortly before it went all coarse fishing only. They would probably be depending upon trapped air. If they lived in deep water, say over about four feet, they would possibly exhaust themselves swimming down to the lake bed with an air bubble attached to them. Cheers. Ja.

Cheers jada, I've struggled to find any info on the web regarding corixa in rivers other than that they like slower parts of water. It's interesting to hear your observations, they must be pretty robust to remain active in such cold conditions.

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Hi there, interesting thread. Last month I spent a lot of time walking in the mountains of Snowdonia, after the seasons end (just to be close to the lakes you understand!!). In every rut of the tracks that contained rainwater there were corixae actively going about their business, rising to the surface every little while to take air. The ones I managed to scoop up had dark backs and dark red eyes. I think it is one of only a very few insects which has the capacity to leave the water and return to the water at will throughout its adult life. The population numbers this year seem very good. TC