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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 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.
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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Cottidae (Sculpin) Fish Adult Pictures

This seems to be a mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdi. Normally this species is more mottled.

Cottidae (Sculpin) Fish Adult from Mongaup Creek in New York
Cottidae (Sculpin) Fish Adult from Mongaup Creek in New York
Cottidae (Sculpin) Fish Adult from Mongaup Creek in New York
Cottidae (Sculpin) Fish Adult from Mongaup Creek in New York
Cottidae (Sculpin) Fish Adult from Mongaup Creek in New York
Cottidae (Sculpin) Fish Adult from Mongaup Creek in New York
Lateral view of a Cottidae (Sculpin) Fish Adult from Mongaup Creek in New York

This fish was collected from Mongaup Creek in New York on May 6th, 2007 and added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on May 18th, 2007.

Discussions of this Adult

Mottled Sculpin
5 replies
Posted by Taxon on May 18, 2007
Last reply on May 19, 2007 by DMM
Jason-

I believe it to be a Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdii), which occurs in rubble and gravel riffles, and is less often in sand-gravel runs of headwaters, creeks and small rivers. Also found in springs and their effluents and rocky shores of lakes, they feed mainly on aquatic insect larvae, but also on crustaceans, annelids, fishes, fish eggs, and plant material.



Start a Discussion of Adult

Cottidae (Sculpin) Fish Adult Pictures

Collection details
Location: Mongaup Creek, New York
Date: May 6th, 2007
Added to site: May 18th, 2007
Author: Troutnut
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