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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.

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.
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 August 8, 2011

Updates from August 8, 2011

Underwater photos by Bnewell from the Touchet River in Washington

This is a tailed frog, genus Ascaphus that lives in cold fast streams of the west. Perhaps this critter is one reason that leech flies work in some trout streams.

From the Touchet River in Washington

Closeup insects by Bnewell from the Touchet River in Washington

Calineuria californica (Perlidae) (Golden Stone) Stonefly Nymph from the Touchet River in Washington
Drunella coloradensis (Ephemerellidae) (Small Western Green Drake) Mayfly Nymph from the Touchet River in Washington
Drunella coloradensis (Ephemerellidae) (Small Western Green Drake) Mayfly Nymph from the Touchet River in Washington

Comments / replies

Oldredbarn
Oldredbarn's profile picture
Novi, MI

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on Aug 10, 2011August 10th, 2011, 9:42 am EDT
Bob,

Nice pics! I love those Drunella! They look like they could knock around just about any other aquatic insect...Like they have been "bulking up" in the weight room.

Spence
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively

"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Troutnut
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Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Aug 10, 2011August 10th, 2011, 2:56 pm EDT
Those are nice ones! I think Drunella doddsii could beat them up in a heavyweight boxing match, although they do look more nimble.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Entoman
Entoman's profile picture
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Aug 10, 2011August 10th, 2011, 5:11 pm EDT
In water where Drunella can be found, everything gets out of the way of the perlids.:)

Kurt
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman

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