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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.

Dorsal view of a Zapada cinctipes (Nemouridae) (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
Nymphs of this species were fairly common in late-winter kick net samples from the upper Yakima River. Although I could not find a key to species of Zapada nymphs, a revision of the Nemouridae family by Baumann (1975) includes the following helpful sentence: "2 cervical gills on each side of midline, 1 arising inside and 1 outside of lateral cervical sclerites, usually single and elongate, sometimes constricted but with 3 or 4 branches arising beyond gill base in Zapada cinctipes." This specimen clearly has the branches and is within the range of that species.
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.

Landscape & scenery photos from Denali Highway

Swampbuggy Lake. This is one of the prettiest scenes where the road winds along the Clearwater Mountains.

From Denali Highway in Alaska
Clearwater Mountains. This general area was the site of much of my frantic hunting action on the last day of the season, at morning and dusk.

From Denali Highway in Alaska
This was one of our first views of the mountains we'd be hiking into, seen from across some lakes in the upper Osar Creek drainage.

From Denali Highway in Alaska
Alaska Range and fall colors

From Denali Highway in Alaska
Mt Deborah (left) and Hess Mountain (right)

From Denali Highway in Alaska
Mt Deborah (left) and Hess Mountain (right)

From Denali Highway in Alaska
Denali Highway in Alaska
Mt Deborah (left) and Hess Mountain (right)

From Denali Highway in Alaska
Backlit dwarf birch

From Denali Highway in Alaska
Aurora Peak. You can also see a bit of the Maclaren Glacier on the very left hand side of the image

From Denali Highway in Alaska
Tundra puddle

From Denali Highway in Alaska
Looking back at the Clearwater Mountains from the east

From Denali Highway in Alaska

References

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