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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.

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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Hellgrammites, Dobsonflies, and Alderflies

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

Insect Order Megaloptera

These are pretty much always called Hellgrammites, Dobsonflies, and Alderflies.
Megalopterans can be an important source of food for trout and they're routinely neglected by anglers.

See the Corydalidae and Sialidae pages for details about each of the two families, of which Corydalidae is the most important.
Male Sialis hamata (Sialidae) Alderfly Adult from the  Touchet River in Washington
A fishfly larva. This fishfly (genus Nigonia) is closely related in appearance to Hellgrammites

Artistic view of a Nigronia serricornis (Corydalidae) (Fishfly) Hellgrammite Larva from Salmon Creek in New York

Hellgrammites, Dobsonflies, and Alderflies

Scientific Name
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