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Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica

The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.

Featured on the forum

Re: Trico emergers
In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Bwoklink (Martinlf replied)

Re: Trico Tips
In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Martinlf

Re: UV spectrum and trout
In General Discussion by Martinlf

Re: closing the gender gap in flyfishing
In General Discussion by Konchu (Smallflyguy replied)

Re: Fishing Kupa River, Slovenia
In Fishing Reports by Slocum (Fish1 replied)

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.

Updates from January 31, 2004

Updates from January 31, 2004

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Videos by Troutnut from and Miscellaneous Wisconsin in and Wisconsin

Swimming Baetisca Mayfly Nymph

The clumsy-looking mayfly nymphs of the genus Baetisca are surprisingly good swimmers.

Featuring: Baetisca Mayfly Nymph

Shot on Jan 31, 2004

Added by Troutnut on Mar 31, 2006

Water Boatman Rowing

Water boatmen are excellent swimmers, and you can see here how they use their oars to push themselves through the water, a motion easily imitated by the fly fisher.

Featuring: Corixidae True Bug Adult

Shot on Jan 31, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin

Added by Troutnut on Mar 31, 2006

Damselfly Nymph on the Prowl

Damselfly nymphs are among the most effective invertebrate predators in freshwater. You have to see one in motion to get a feel for their slow, deliberate style of stalking.

Featuring: Calopteryx Damselfly Nymph

Shot on Jan 31, 2004

Added by Troutnut on Mar 31, 2006

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the Namekagon River and Miscellaneous Wisconsin in Wisconsin

10
Ephemera simulans Mayfly Nymph

10
Ephemera simulans Mayfly Nymph

6
Ephemera simulans Mayfly Nymph

4
Amphipoda Arthropod Adult

5
Ephemera simulans Mayfly Nymph

6
Ephemera simulans Mayfly Nymph

5
Eurylophella Mayfly Nymph

4
Calopteryx Damselfly Nymph

4
Cambaridae Crayfish Adult

4
Caenis Mayfly Nymph

I confirmed the identity of this nymph by looking at it under a microscope to be certain of the shape of its gills and head.

4
Eurylophella Mayfly Nymph

Close examination under a microscope easily showed abdominal tubercles.

4
Ephemerella invaria Mayfly Nymph

3
Chironomidae True Fly Larva

3
Caecidotea Arthropod Adult

3
Amphipoda Arthropod Adult

3
Corixidae True Bug Adult

3
Cyprinidae Fish Adult

Sand Shiner Notripis stramineus

3
Ephemerella subvaria Mayfly Nymph

3
Baetidae Mayfly Nymph

This is the only Baetis nymph I found in my January 31st (read: not sane) sampling in 2004. I looked at this one under my small microscope and wrote down some useful identification features which aren't really visible in the pictures from my camera. This nymph had conspicuous gill veinlets, a pointed, slender 7th gill, tail bands on the middle and tip, and abdominal segments 5, 9, and 10 are definitely pale, with segment 8 in-between, debatably pale.

3
Platycentropus Caddisfly Larva

3
Caenis Mayfly Nymph

This interesting little Caenis nymph is way darker than any of the others I collected in January 2004, probably a different species. It also has shorter tails.

3
Chironomidae True Fly Larva

3
Coleoptera Insect Adult

You wouldn't know to look at it, but this is an aquatic beetle and it's in water in the photographs.

2
Baetidae Mayfly Nymph

Here's a rather different tiny Baetid nymph. The tails are all unbanded, and the tergites all have a dark-colored anterior 2/3 and light-colored posterior 1/3. The gill veinlets are indistinct. It's probably a very early instar of some Baetis species.

2
Corixidae True Bug Adult

3
Siphloplecton basale Mayfly Nymph

This one's stunned or freshly dead in the pictures, because the water in my photographing tank was a bit too warm for him after being under the bright light for a while.

3
Ephemerella invaria Mayfly Nymph

2
Tipulidae True Fly Larva

2
Caenis Mayfly Nymph

I confirmed the identity of this nymph by looking at it under a microscope to be certain of the shape of its gills and head.

3
Caenis Mayfly Nymph

I confirmed the identity of this nymph by looking at it under a microscope to be certain of the shape of its gills and head.

3
Gomphidae Dragonfly Nymph

2
Caenis Mayfly Nymph

I confirmed the identity of this nymph by looking at it under a microscope to be certain of the shape of its gills and head.

2
Ephemerellidae Mayfly Nymph

Close examination of this specimen under a microscope reveals that it has small rounded tubercles on the tergites and the tails are uniformly covered with short black hairs. Looking at this specimen a while later, my early observations were probably not relevant because it was such as small early instar mayfly that its identifying characteristics were not fully developed.

2
Limnephilus Caddisfly Larva

2
Limnephilidae Caddisfly Larva

1
Chironomidae True Fly Larva

2
Clitelatta-Oligochaeta Animal Adult

What a strange worm... half red, half black.

1
Cyprinidae Fish Adult

Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus

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