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.

Stream photos

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Onocosmoecus (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Onocosmoecus (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Lateral view of a Onocosmoecus (Limnephilidae) (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This specimen keys pretty easily to Onocosmoecus, and it closely resembles a specimen from Alaska which caddis expert Dave Ruiter recognized as this genus. As with that specimen, the only species in the genus documented in this area is Onocosmoecus unicolor, but Dave suggested for that specimen that there might be multiple not-yet-distinguished species under the unicolor umbrella and it would be best to stick with the genus-level ID. I'm doing the same for this one.

9 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 July 12, 2005

Photos by Troutnut from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

My girlfriend casts amidst a mix of bugs hatching in mid-July from a Catskill stream.

From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

A large, slow Catskill trout river meanders in the shadow of a mountain.

From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

The East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the East Branch of the Delaware River and Miscellaneous New York in New York

Male Afghanurus inconspicua Mayfly Dun

14 Pictures

Lateral view of a Male Afghanurus inconspicua (Heptageniidae) Mayfly Dun from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

This pretty little dun was part of a sparse midsummer evening hatch on a large Catskill river.

I could not identify it by following a species key step by step, but I tentatively keyed it to the genus Nixe, and based on distribution maps and physical descriptions the most likely species is Nixe inconspicua. (Edit in 2023: this species was recently moved from Nixe into Afghanurus.)

Collected July 12, 2005 from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

Added by Troutnut on April 14, 2006

Collected July 12, 2005 from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York and added by Troutnut on April 14, 2006

Female Stenacron (Light Cahill) Mayfly Spinner

4 Pictures