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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 Kogotus (Perlodidae) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington
This one pretty clearly keys to Kogotus, but it also looks fairly different from specimens I caught in the same creek about a month later in the year. With only one species of the genus known in Washington, I'm not sure about the answer to this ID.
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.

Early Brown Spinners

Like most common names,"Early Brown Spinner" can refer to more than one taxon. They're previewed below, along with 3 specimens. For more detail click through to the scientific names.

Mayfly Species Leptophlebia cupida

These are very rarely called Early Brown Spinners.
Most anglers encounter these large mayflies every Spring in the East and Midwest. They are omnipresent in small portions, providing filler action in the days or hours between the prolific hatches of the early season Ephemerella flies.

See the main Leptophlebia page for details about their nymphs, hatching, and egg-laying behavior. This is by far the most important species of that genus.
Lateral view of a Male Leptophlebia cupida (Leptophlebiidae) (Black Quill) Mayfly Dun from the Teal River in Wisconsin
This Leptophlebia cupida dun was extremely cooperative, and it molted into a spinner for me in front of the camera. Here I have a few dun pictures and one spinner picture, and I've put the entire molting sequence in an article.
Lateral view of a Female Leptophlebia cupida (Leptophlebiidae) (Black Quill) Mayfly Spinner from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin
Leptophlebia cupida (Leptophlebiidae) (Black Quill) Mayfly Nymph from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

Mayfly Species Leptophlebia nebulosa

These are very rarely called Early Brown Spinners.

Early Brown Spinners

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