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.

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Setvena wahkeena (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph Setvena wahkeena (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Setvena wahkeena (Perlodidae) (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington

As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.

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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.

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Male Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult Pictures

This species was really common along the Henry's Fork at the end of July. I photographed it along with a female that appears to be the same species, and another male of the same genus but a seemingly different, less common (on this day) species.

Lateral view of a Male Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho

Ventral view of a Male Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho

Male Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho

Ruler view of a Male Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho The smallest ruler marks are 1 mm.

Fore wing

Male Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho

Hind wing

Male Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho

Dorsal view of head and mesoscutum.

Male Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho

Male terminalia, ventral view.

Male Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho

This caddisfly was collected from the Henry's Fork of the Snake River in Idaho on July 31st, 2020 and added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on August 16th, 2020.

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