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Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York
Blue-winged Olives
Baetis

Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.

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.

Updates from July 29, 2005

Photos by Troutnut

A small brown trout jumps at the end of my line.  Photo by Sandy Neuswanger.  Yes, the most popular photo on this website was taken by my mom when I handed off the camera to play this fish!

Updates from July 27, 2005

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin

Lateral view of a Female Eurylophella (Ephemerellidae) (Chocolate Dun) Mayfly Spinner from the West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin
This Ephemerellidae spinner was emerging unusually late, and on a warm stream. Since it's a female, identification is difficult. Her identical coloration suggests she's probably of the same species as this specimen collected on a cool trout stream almost a month earlier.

Updates from July 25, 2005

Photos by Troutnut from the West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin

Nice smallmouths and muskies inhabit this wide warmwater river.

From the West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin
This smallmouth river was very low during a July drought, but I floated it with my dad in a canoe anyway, and we landed several nice smallies.  The weather was too hot for good trout fishing.

From the West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin
The West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin
My dad works his way through the shallows of a smallmouth river.  The hole around the large boulder might shelter bass in normal water, but we floated this stretch during a prolonged drought and the fish had left the shallows.

From the West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin
The West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin
Weeds grow thick in this smallmouth stream, and they're exposed here by the low water.

From the West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin

On-stream insect photos by Troutnut from the West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin

The West Fork of the Chippewa River in Wisconsin

Updates from July 23, 2005

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

Artistic view of a Male Hexagenia atrocaudata (Ephemeridae) (Late Hex) Mayfly Spinner from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

Updates from July 21, 2005

Photos by Troutnut from Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin

Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
This beaver dam blocks fish movement in a small brookie stream.  Luckily the DNR seems to regularly remove the dams in this stretch, but the beavers just keep on rebuilding.

From Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin
Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin

On-stream insect photos by Troutnut from Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin

A lone fly rests upon a rock in the middle of a little brook trout stream that's catching the late afternoon sun.

From Eighteenmile Creek in Wisconsin

References

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