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.

Stream photos

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Psychodidae True Fly Larva Psychodidae True Fly Larva

Lateral view of a Psychodidae True Fly Larva from Mystery Creek #308 in Washington

This wild-looking little thing completely puzzled me. At first I was thinking beetle or month larva, until I got a look at the pictures on the computer screen. I made a couple of incorrect guesses before entomologist Greg Courtney pointed me in the right direction with Psychodidae. He suggested a possible genus of Thornburghiella, but could not rule out some other members of the tribe Pericomini.

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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.

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.

FINALLY one nice enough to take a photo or two of...plus wildflowers of course!

Jmd123 has attached these 7 pictures. The message is below.

Beautiful 12-inch Pine River brookie, my biggest yet from this or any stream!

Notice the fly laying on his side...good thing he's in the net!

American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis - I know, there's a total disconnect between the common and scientific names...)

Bee-balm or wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Jul 21, 2014July 21st, 2014, 7:10 pm EDT

I was just about to give up on trout fishing for this year. I haven't had the opportunities to go much lately because of work, and when I have been out it just hasn't been very productive, just lots of little guys. Well, the Pine River has been owing me a nice one, and tonight it delivered! This nice fat colorful 12" brookie took a #12 Royal Wulff (what else?) but may have been gearing up to take Light Cahills, which filled the air around me as I was heading downstream. Downstream?? Yes, dang it, I had finished my stretch and caught that brookie in the last pool I can fish upstream without having to bushwhack to further habitat, and was ready to go home. Now? Really? Well, I gotta get up for work tomorrow morning (for a change!) but I'm gonna have to make a later trip out there sometime soon to see if I might be missing a feeding frenzy!

Fishing earlier in the evening just yielded 8 or 9 little guys, but the wildflowers on the banks were just spectacular so I couldn't help throwing in a few shots of those too. The Pine is just such a pretty place to fish and at this time of the year the flowers are just about at peak, a few more weeks and things will be really colorful out there! Sadly, I did get munched on pretty seriously by the deer flies tonight, they almost drove me outta there but I persisted and did indeed get rewarded for my effort and perseverance!

Jonathon

No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...

Oldredbarn

Novi, MI

Posts: 2600

Oldredbarn on Jul 22, 2014July 22nd, 2014, 1:51 pm EDT

Nice pics, sir...The milkweed reminds me of a field trip my Audubon group took a couple weeks back. At a local nursery a woman has created a large net covered building where she raises butterflies. Its open to the public for tours...Milkweed, of different types, is a host for some of the butterflies, and maybe a food source as well.

She had some clear-winged sphinx moth flying around in there...It was pretty interesting...

Was that fly just lying there or was that fish foul-hooked? Not sure its good form to count the foul-hooked ones...But to each their own. :)

Spence

"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively

"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Jul 22, 2014July 22nd, 2014, 6:51 pm EDT

No Spence, the fish was jaw-hooked, and threw the hook in the net while it was thrashing around. When I saw that I wondered if I had foul-hooked it, but that fly was just lying on the fish's side after being tossed out of it's mouth. Shows just how close it was to getting off!

Milkweed is THE food source for monarch butterflies, as well as a major nectar source for a wide variety of insects. I just love the smell of them in bloom!

Jonathon

No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...

Partsman

bancroft michigan

Posts: 321

Partsman on Jul 24, 2014July 24th, 2014, 12:56 pm EDT

Nice fish and wonderful photos Jonathon, my season has not been that great. Every day off it has been thunderstorms and tornados. Im on vacation this week so of course my back has decided to its time for some big time spasims. I going up tomorrow morning regardless, I can barley walk but maybe that's a good thing make slow down and really study the water.Good fishing, Mike.

Motrout