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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 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).
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.
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Little Yellow Quills

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

Mayfly Species Leucrocuta hebe

These are often called Little Yellow Quills.
This widespread species produces more fishable hatches in the East and Midwest than any other species in the Heptagenia genus complex.
Female Leucrocuta hebe (Heptageniidae) (Little Yellow Quill) Mayfly Dun from the Beaverkill River in New York
I found Catskill brown trout eagerly surface feeding to this species.
Lateral view of a Female Leucrocuta hebe (Heptageniidae) (Little Yellow Quill) Mayfly Spinner from Mystery Creek #43 in New York
I found this spinner on the same piece of stream as a similar dun, probably of the same species.
Dorsal view of a Leucrocuta hebe (Heptageniidae) (Little Yellow Quill) Mayfly Nymph from the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

References

Little Yellow Quills

Scientific Name
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