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Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York
Blue-winged Olives
Baetis

Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.

Dorsal view of a Zapada cinctipes (Nemouridae) (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
Nymphs of this species were fairly common in late-winter kick net samples from the upper Yakima River. Although I could not find a key to species of Zapada nymphs, a revision of the Nemouridae family by Baumann (1975) includes the following helpful sentence: "2 cervical gills on each side of midline, 1 arising inside and 1 outside of lateral cervical sclerites, usually single and elongate, sometimes constricted but with 3 or 4 branches arising beyond gill base in Zapada cinctipes." This specimen clearly has the branches and is within the range of that species.
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

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

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.)
Ruler view of a Female Hexagenia limbata (Ephemeridae) (Hex) Mayfly Spinner from Gas station in Whitney Point, NY in New York The smallest ruler marks are 1 mm.
I found this Hexagenia limbata spinner on a gas station in upstate New York, not a region known for heavy hatches of this species.

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