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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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.
— 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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LenH on Feb 10, 2008February 10th, 2008, 6:56 am EST
Last year after the big floods (southwestern wisconsin) this dam was knocked
out. The area was about 5 feet shallower. ALL the
trout were centralized in three areas. Just at the end
of view in the photo.....
Last day of season....I saw a commotion way in the
foreground of this photo...
I went up to see what I thought was a beaver dinking
around. As I got closer i was WOWED. It was giant
brown chasing down little brookies in the shallows and
eating them. I got my camera out a little to late. The
brown was minimum 28 and fat. 3/4s of its body was
outta the water when it was chasing the brookies...saw
the brookies running like minnows....too far away to
get good movie.
The water is back up to the level in the photo. It is
about a 100 yards stretch....two beaver dams make it
so it can't leave. I usually don't chase brookies
because they aren't much of a challenge...Will this
spring
CaseyP on Feb 10, 2008February 10th, 2008, 7:27 am EST
a mouse at dusk--or a chipmunk!!
"You can observe a lot by watching." Yogi Berra
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