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.

Two major forks of this grayling stream come together in this pretty pool.

From the Chena River in Alaska

Stream photos

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Amphizoa Beetle Larva Amphizoa Beetle Larva

Dorsal view of a Amphizoa (Amphizoidae) Beetle Larva from Sears Creek in Washington

This is the first of it's family I've seen, collected from a tiny, fishless stream in the Cascades. The three species of this genus all live in the Northwest and are predators that primarily eat stonefly nymphs Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019).

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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.

Zebra Caddisflies

This common name refers to only one species. Click its scientific name to learn more.

Caddisfly Species Macrostemum zebratum

These are very rarely called Zebra Caddisflies.

The "Zebra Caddis" is one of the most well-known caddisfly species, and one of the largest to produce high intensity hatches on our trout streams.

It is also an important species for smallmouth bass. Gary LaFontaine wrote in Caddisflies about encountering Macrostemum zebratum on a large smallmouth river:

I never caught so many smallmouth bass on a fly rod before in my life.

References

LaFontaine, Gary. 1981. Caddisflies. The Lyons Press.
Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. 2019. An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America (Fifth Edition). Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.