Header image
Enter a name
Artistic view of a Male Pteronarcys californica (Pteronarcyidae) (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Adult from the Gallatin River in Montana
Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica

The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.

Lateral view of a Onocosmoecus (Limnephilidae) (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
This specimen keys pretty easily to Onocosmoecus, and it closely resembles a specimen from Alaska which caddis expert Dave Ruiter recognized as this genus. As with that specimen, the only species in the genus documented in this area is Onocosmoecus unicolor, but Dave suggested for that specimen that there might be multiple not-yet-distinguished species under the unicolor umbrella and it would be best to stick with the genus-level ID. I'm doing the same for this one.
27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.
Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or support the project for an enhanced experience here.

Golden Spinners

Like most common names,"Golden Spinner" can refer to more than one taxon. They're previewed below, along with 4 specimens. For more detail click through to the scientific names.

Mayfly Species Anthopotamus distinctus

These are sometimes called Golden Spinners.

Mayfly Species Cinygmula subaequalis

These are very rarely called Golden Spinners.
This is the only Eastern species of Cinygmula. It may produce fishable hatches in places but it is not a generally important mayfly.
Dorsal view of a Cinygmula subaequalis (Heptageniidae) (Small Gordon Quill) Mayfly Nymph from Mongaup Creek in New York
I had heard reports of a bright red heptageniid nymph before but never seen one until I found this early instar specimen in a very high water quality small stream in the Catskills.

Mayfly Species Ephemera varia

These are very rarely called Golden Spinners.
This is an excellent hatch of a different character than its Ephemera brethren. Rather than emerging in a flurry of activity within a week, the Ephemera varia hatch may last for more than a month in a single place.
Artistic view of a Female Ephemera varia (Ephemeridae) (Yellow Drake) Mayfly Dun from Aquarium in New York
This yellow drake dun hatched out of my aquarium over a month before her brethren in the wild are slated to emerge. She seems a bit small, and that might be the reason.
Lateral view of a Female Ephemera varia (Ephemeridae) (Yellow Drake) Mayfly Spinner from Cayuta Creek in New York
I found this female spinner ovipositing in a small stream. She came along while I was playing a trout -- every good bug seemed to do that last night! I didn't have my bug net, so I caught the trout in my landing net, released the trout, and caught the mayfly in my landing net. Her wing got a bit messed up from that.
A burrowing mayfly nymph. The juvenile stage of the brown drake, Ephemera simulans

Dorsal view of a Ephemera varia (Ephemeridae) (Yellow Drake) Mayfly Nymph from Fall Creek in New York
Troutnut.com is copyright © 2004-2024 (email Jason). privacy policy