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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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Crayfish, Scuds, and Sowbugs

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

Arthropod Class Crustacea-Malacostraca

These are pretty much always called Crayfish, Scuds, and Sowbugs.
Crustaceans are classified as one of those inconvenient intermediate taxonomic levels, the subphylum. The varieties of interest to trout anglers are in the class Malacostraca.

It contains the orders of scuds (Amphipoda), sowbugs (Isopoda), opossum or mysis shrimp (Mysida), and crayish (Decapoda). Crayfish and scuds are both extremely important trout prey.
A freshwater amphipod (scud). Tiny crustacean common to many freshwater environments

Dorsal view of a Amphipoda (Scud) Arthropod Adult from Salmon Creek in New York
Dorsal view of a Cambaridae Crayfish Juvenile from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

Crayfish, Scuds, and Sowbugs

Scientific Name
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