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.

The "Fountain Flats" stretch of the Firehole was fishable in the morning after an uncharacteristically cold August night.

From the Firehole River in Wyoming

Stream photos

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Limnephilidae (Giant Sedges) Caddisfly Larva Limnephilidae (Giant Sedges) Caddisfly Larva

Dorsal view of a Limnephilidae (Giant Sedges) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This specimen resembled several others of around the same size and perhaps the same species, which were pretty common in my February sample from the upper Yakima. Unfortunately, I misplaced the specimen before I could get it under a microscope for a definitive ID.

10 Recently Added Photos

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.

Updates from September 1, 2004

Photos by Troutnut from the Beaverkill River in New York

This is a really deep hole on a famous Catskill river.

From the Beaverkill River in New York

I missed one strike in this pool after taking the picture. It was a good fish that first showed itself with a telltale bulge and eddies below my fly, the sign of a nice trout refusing without quite breaking the surface. Five or ten drifts later it took convincingly, but I missed the hookset. That was the story that day -- missed hooksets. I didn't stay to fish this pool very long, because I tried to cross to fish it from the side that's on the right in the picture, obviously the best angle, and I found that what looked like an easy crossing near the tail was a swift, bouldery flat of very deceptive depth in the clear water. I found myself half-way across, past what had originally looked like the deepest water, only to find that the water that looked easiest was even swifter and deeper. I thought surely I was in for a swim, but somehow I made it back to the near bank dry and jumped in the car to head for less treacherous wading.

From the Beaverkill River in New York

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the Beaverkill River and Miscellaneous New York in New York

Male Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly Dun

4 Pictures

Male Epeorus vitreus (Heptageniidae) (Sulphur) Mayfly Dun from the Beaverkill River in New York

This is my favorite mayfly from 2004, and it appears on my popular Be the Trout: Eat Mayflies products. Check them out!

Its identification is really up in the air. It might be a late-season vitreus dun but it may very well be one of the more obscure species in that genus.

Collected September 1, 2004 from the Beaverkill River in New York

Added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Collected September 1, 2004 from the Beaverkill River in New York and added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Female Isonychia bicolor (Mahogany Dun) Mayfly Dun

3 Pictures

Female Isonychia bicolor (Isonychiidae) (Mahogany Dun) Mayfly Dun from the Beaverkill River in New York

Collected September 1, 2004 from the Beaverkill River in New York

Added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Collected September 1, 2004 from the Beaverkill River in New York and added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Female Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun

3 Pictures

This little gal is of the usual size for Baetid mayflies, around size 20. She came with two tails, but it's kind of hard to transport size 20 mayflies without a little bit of damage.

Collected September 1, 2004 from unknown in New York

Added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006

Collected September 1, 2004 from unknown in New York and added by Troutnut on January 25, 2006