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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.

Female Tricorythodes (Trico) Mayfly Spinner Pictures

I photographed this Trico alive, although it didn't have much time left. These things die very quickly after they mate and it's hard to rush them back to the studio.

Lateral view of a Female Tricorythodes (Leptohyphidae) (Trico) Mayfly Spinner from the Neversink River in New York
Female Tricorythodes (Leptohyphidae) (Trico) Mayfly Spinner from the Neversink River in New York
Female Tricorythodes (Leptohyphidae) (Trico) Mayfly Spinner from the Neversink River in New York
Artistic view of a Female Tricorythodes (Leptohyphidae) (Trico) Mayfly Spinner from the Neversink River in New York
Female Tricorythodes (Leptohyphidae) (Trico) Mayfly Spinner from the Neversink River in New York
Female Tricorythodes (Leptohyphidae) (Trico) Mayfly Spinner from the Neversink River in New York
Female Tricorythodes (Leptohyphidae) (Trico) Mayfly Spinner from the Neversink River in New York
Ventral view of a Female Tricorythodes (Leptohyphidae) (Trico) Mayfly Spinner from the Neversink River in New York
Ruler view of a Female Tricorythodes (Leptohyphidae) (Trico) Mayfly Spinner from the Neversink River in New York The smallest ruler marks are 1 mm.

This mayfly was collected from the Neversink River in New York on September 8th, 2006 and added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on October 4th, 2006.

Discussions of this Spinner

Trico shuck
Posted by Martinlf on Jul 22, 2016
Last reply on Jul 22, 2016 by Martinlf
Catching some fish on duns one early morning I pulled a cripple from the drift and noticed that the shuck looked cream colored to me. Has anyone else noticed this?
Little White-winged Black
1 replies
Posted by Jack_k on Mar 14, 2009
Last reply on Mar 15, 2009 by Martinlf
These Tricos are found on most reservoirs in the Great Basin. They come off the water late in the afternoon and early evening. They pull out of their subimago shuck on any object, cars, shirt sleeves, eye glasses, or rocks. They appear as clouds on most reservoirs and stimulate an Alfred Hitchcock-like feeding frenzy with the fish. They are short lived but what an impact. This hatch lasts for several weeks here in the Great Basin.
A good spent wing example can be found at Just2ty4.com.

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Female Tricorythodes (Trico) Mayfly Spinner Pictures

Collection details
Location: Neversink River, New York
Date: September 8th, 2006
Added to site: October 4th, 2006
Author: Troutnut
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