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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 Ephemerella mucronata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.
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.

Trout, Salmon, and Grayling

Trout, Salmon, and Grayling

Salmonids large and small rank among nature's most pleasing sights. These are my best pictures of trout and their relatives: salmon, grayling, and whitefish.

This big old brown trout took a dry fly and fought like he looks like he would.
This bruiser was perhaps the largest cutthroat I've ever caught to date, at 21.5" with a 12.5" girth.
This Golden Trout was probably the most vivid fish I've ever caught.
A really pretty Goldbow (Golden Trout x Rainbow Trout hybrid)
Golden-Yellowstone Cutt Hybrid
Characteristically beautiful wild-born Golden Trout from an unnamed tarn high in the Rocky Mountains.
This nice-sized Yellowstone cutthroat took a tight-lined nymph in fast water.
This was my personal best Westslope Cutthroat to date, 18 inches and shaped like a football. The fight was great fun, standing on a boulder over deep water with no waders as the fish tore around in the fast water.
Coastal cutthroat
Pretty pastel colors on the side of this little Bonneville Cutthroat that still has its parr marks.
My longest brook trout yet, 16 1/8".
Beautiful almost 19" brown.
Chunky male brook trout and the best fish of the day

References

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