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.

Firehole River Sunset

From the Firehole River in Wyoming

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Holocentropus Caddisfly Larva Holocentropus Caddisfly Larva

Dorsal view of a Holocentropus (Polycentropodidae) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This one seems to tentatively key to Holocentropus, although I can't make out the anal spines in Couplet 7 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae nor the dark bands in Couplet 4 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae, making me wonder if I went wrong somewhere in keying it out. I don't see where that could have happened, though. It might also be that it's a very immature larva and doesn't possess all the identifying characteristics in the key yet. If Holocentropus is correct, then Holocentropus flavus and Holocentropus interruptus are the two likely possibilities based on range, but I was not able to find a description of their larvae.

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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.

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Updates from August 9, 2011

Closeup insects by Bnewell from the Touchet River in Washington

Pteronarcys californica (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph

2 Pictures

Pteronarcys californica (Pteronarcyidae) (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Touchet River in Washington

Here are two size classes of Pteronarcys nymphs. These probably represent two different generations. The largest will probably emerge next spring and the other in two years. There is probably another generation, smaller, I did not collect. In a Canadian study they discovered Pteronarcys eggs do not all hatch simultaneously but hatch for a period of nearly two years, making their egg/nymphal life 5 years. The other photo is of a curled nymph, a typical response to disturbance.

Collected August 9, 2011 from the Touchet River in Washington

Added by Bnewell on August 10, 2011

Collected August 9, 2011 from the Touchet River in Washington and added by Bnewell on August 10, 2011