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.

Stream photos

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Clostoeca disjuncta (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva Clostoeca disjuncta (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva

Lateral view of a Clostoeca disjuncta (Limnephilidae) (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This one was surprisingly straightforward to identify. The lack of a sclerite at the base of the lateral hump narrows the field quite a bit, and the other options followed fairly obvious characteristics to Clostoeca, which only has one species, Clostoeca disjuncta.

11 Recently Added Photos

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.

First trout of 2021!

By Troutnut on April 8th, 2021

Friday I drove from the Seattle area out to Yakima, Washington, where a FEMA-run Covid vaccination clinic has so many extra doses and appointments that they're eagerly offering them to people who aren't yet officially eligible. (Washington is one of the last states to open the vaccine to everybody.) I'm looking forward to being able to safely travel on airplanes again and have at least a couple exciting fishing trips planned for this summer.

For now, I just wanted to catch the first fish of the year on my drive home via the Yakima Canyon.

Action on the Yakima was slow, and I'm consistently frustrated there by the difficult access to good spots from the road-side bank. But I did see one single rise, then caught the fish on a nymph.

My first trout of 2021! Not a big one, but a start.

It's a start!

I also collected quite a few nymphs as an excuse to have some fun with the new microscope I got last fall. The highlight was probably finding a specimen of Heptagenia pulla, which isn't known from Washington or neighboring states.

Photos by Troutnut from the Yakima River in Washington

My 7-month-old fishing buddy.

From the Yakima River in Washington

These bighorn ewes were watching over the Yakima as I fished.

From the Yakima River in Washington

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the Yakima River in Washington

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Ephemerella excrucians (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella excrucians (Ephemerellidae) (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

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Ephemerella excrucians (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph

14
Male Baetis tricaudatus (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Male Baetis tricaudatus (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

This specimen and many like it were found with other specimens I found to be duller-colored females of the same species. I wasn't aware of such a difference between male and female nymphs in Baetids, but all the morphological characteristics I checked in the key were the same, and the color patterns are, too -- just not the brightness.

9
Female Baetis tricaudatus (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun

Lateral view of a Female Baetis tricaudatus (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from the Yakima River in Washington

This dun emerged on my desk from a container of nymphs I was sorting, so I was able to get an ID from the nymphs. I also uploaded photos of a female nymph and a male nymph.

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Ameletus vernalis (Brown Dun) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Ameletus vernalis (Ameletidae) (Brown Dun) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

I keyed this one out using the Alberta species key from Zloty & Pritchard 1997. Notes from the ID include: 1. Posterior margin of sternites 6-8 without spines 2. Mesal gill extension "well developed" 3. Basil third of caudal filaments pale 4. Anterior surface of front femora mostly pale 5. Dark band on caudal filaments begins around segment 20 6. Final instars early season This one keys out pretty cleanly to Ameletus vernalis except the color pattern on the tergites doesn't match. However, two species known in Washington aren't included in the key. Of those two, Ameletus vancouverensis would be too small (adult body length 9 mm), but Ameletus andersoni (currently documented only from a spring in Cowlitz County) has a wide range of sizes and emergence times that could be compatible with this one. So I can't rule that species out, but Ameletus vernalis seems the most likely.

Comments / replies

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Apr 12, 2021April 12th, 2021, 2:15 am EDT

That Yakima River looks awesome but it surely doesn't look very safe to wade.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Troutnut

Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758

Troutnut on Apr 12, 2021April 12th, 2021, 4:49 am EDT

Yeah, I've always been disappointed when I try to wade the Yakima, except in the far upper headwaters where the fish are small. It's just a bit too fast and deep to cross in most places, and I haven't found much good water accessible from castable spots of the road-side bank.

Last year on a float I found and remembered one really good spot to walk in and safely wade some nice water, and right now it's off-limits due to some construction.

Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

Millcreek
Healdsburg, CA

Posts: 344

Millcreek on Apr 12, 2021April 12th, 2021, 7:27 am EDT

Enjoying your photos, especially of the insects. Photos of identifying characteristics are quite interesting.

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
-Albert Einstein

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Apr 12, 2021April 12th, 2021, 11:58 am EDT

I wouldn't wade it without a PFD collar.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Partsman

bancroft michigan

Posts: 321

Partsman on Apr 12, 2021April 12th, 2021, 11:03 pm EDT

Beautiful pictures as usual.
Mike.

Martinlf

Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047

Martinlf on Apr 13, 2021April 13th, 2021, 7:41 am EDT

Nice photos. Glad to hear you got your vaccination. My second dose of the Moderna vaccine comes Monday. Getting ready to travel and fish! Fishing has been good in Pennsylvania, with olives and grannoms, but we just had some storms that blew everything out locally. Waiting for levels to drop.

"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell