Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica
The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.
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I caught this tiny larva without a case, but it seems to key pretty clearly to to Glossosomatidae. From there, the lack of sclerites on the mesonotum points to either Glossosoma or Anagapetus. Although it's difficult to see in a 2D image from the microscope, it's pretty clear in the live 3D view that the pronotum is only excised about 1/3 of its length to accommodate the forecoxa, not 2/3, which points to Glossosoma at Couplet 5 of the Key to Genera of Glossosomatidae Larvae.
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True Fly Family Limoniidae (Limoniid Crane Flies)
See Tipulidae for details about craneflies. This family is not known to differ from them in any ways important to anglers except appearance.
Specimens of the True Fly Family Limoniidae
5 Larvae
I'm not sure if this cranefly larva is in the genus Hexatoma or Limnophila, but the habitat suggests Hexatoma. Its coloring is iridescent, and I've never heard of that before. However, there is an insect virus genus Iridovirus which can infect craneflies and causes iridescence. It has not been reported in this region as far as I can tell, but perhaps it is the culprit. It makes for beautiful pictures.
Start a Discussion of Limoniidae
True Fly Family Limoniidae (Limoniid Crane Flies)
Taxonomy
12 genera (Chionea, Cladura, Dactyolabis, Elephantomyia, Epiphragma, Erioptera, Gnophomyia, Gonomyia, Limonia, Pilaria, Pseudolimnophila, and Toxorhina) aren't included.