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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.

I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.

The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.

Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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.

Where beginners ask "getting started" questions, and others share "wish-I-had-known" lessons.
Topic
Replies
Last Reply
1
Apr 14, 2021
by Wbranch
Selecting a reel [Page: 1, 2]
Feb 11, 2019 by AllanM83
35
Jul 13, 2020
by Martinlf
Cold weather fly fishing [Page: 1, 2]
Sep 30, 2019 by Red_green_h
22
Oct 14, 2019
by Red_green_h
14
Sep 2, 2019
by Strmanglr
Big Deep Blue Lake
Jun 30, 2019 by Baron
7
Jul 17, 2019
by Jmd123
5
Apr 29, 2019
by Gt2003
Bead head or not???
Mar 14, 2019 by Gt2003
4
Mar 19, 2019
by Jmd123
6
Feb 11, 2019
by Jawyellowba
New In Fly Fishing
Dec 12, 2018 by Alaxpol
6
Dec 24, 2018
by Iasgair
3
Oct 27, 2018
by Iasgair
Casting Help
Jul 2, 2018 by RascalWinW
13
Jul 16, 2018
by Iasgair
Falling apart
May 17, 2018 by Docksman
5
Jun 6, 2018
by Iasgair
1
May 26, 2018
by Taxon
Sinking line
Mar 6, 2017 by Flyfishen24
14
May 18, 2018
by Adirman
Introduction
May 24, 2017 by David82nd
8
Nov 28, 2017
by Iasgair
Should have known [Page: 1, 2]
Feb 23, 2017 by Iasgair
24
Mar 3, 2017
by Wbranch
5
Mar 3, 2017
by Wbranch
6
Feb 23, 2017
by Iasgair
Sage Rod ID
Jan 26, 2017 by Jebatty
12
Jan 27, 2017
by Wbranch
Western Pa
Dec 15, 2016 by Flyfishen24
12
Jan 11, 2017
by Oldredbarn
New to forum
Dec 31, 2016 by Wls
5
Jan 5, 2017
by Jmd123
Mouse
Dec 21, 2016 by Flyfishen24
2
Dec 21, 2016
by RleeP
4
Oct 17, 2016
by Martinlf
New to fly fishing
Oct 22, 2015 by Canyon7
4
Jul 11, 2016
by Gilsau
8
May 25, 2016
by Phillipmorr
14
May 25, 2016
by Dzumwalt
3
May 3, 2016
by Jmd123
7
Apr 8, 2016
by Afishinado
Spring Scrawls
Apr 5, 2016 by CaseyP
1
Apr 5, 2016
by Martinlf
Beginner
Mar 29, 2016 by Derek1019
1
Mar 30, 2016
by Taxon
12
Feb 29, 2016
by Vprinceii
2
Feb 13, 2016
by Vprinceii
line memory
Nov 13, 2015 by Kriss77
8
Nov 16, 2015
by PaulRoberts
9
Sep 9, 2015
by TimCat
Troutnut.com is copyright © 2004-2024 (email Jason). privacy policy