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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.

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.
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JOHNW
JOHNW's profile picture
Chambersburg, PA

Posts: 452
JOHNW on Sep 29, 2007September 29th, 2007, 11:03 am EDT
I have a pattern which calls for lime green elk hair. My question is do any of you have a supplier who carries odd colored elk hair or suggestions for dyeing my own? (an area I've pretty much tried to avoid)
JW
"old habits are hard to kill once you have gray in your beard" -Old Red Barn
JAD
JAD's profile picture
Alexandria Pa

Posts: 362
JAD on Sep 29, 2007September 29th, 2007, 2:44 pm EDT


I have some John.

john

They fasten red (crimson red) wool around a hook, and fix onto the wool two feathers which grow under a cock’s wattles, and which in colour are like wax.
Radcliffe's Fishing from the Earliest Times,
JOHNW
JOHNW's profile picture
Chambersburg, PA

Posts: 452
JOHNW on Oct 1, 2007October 1st, 2007, 10:01 am EDT
Incoming PM, JAD
"old habits are hard to kill once you have gray in your beard" -Old Red Barn

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