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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Smallstream on Mar 21, 2008March 21st, 2008, 12:33 pm EDT
managed to go out and fish finally this year, first fish of the year, what a whopper lol!
some other cool pics of the stream
felt good to finally get out, springs almost here!
some other cool pics of the stream
felt good to finally get out, springs almost here!
Troutnut on Mar 21, 2008March 21st, 2008, 1:36 pm EDT
Spring is here as of yesterday, actually. :)
Whoever set the official dates clearly didn't live in Fairbanks.
Whoever set the official dates clearly didn't live in Fairbanks.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Joec on Mar 21, 2008March 21st, 2008, 3:58 pm EDT
Wow, I can't believe the difference in a few degrees of lattitude! I walked one of my favorite early season wild brook trout streams on Wednesday--there was more than 2 feet of compressed snow along the banks AND this stream is located very close to Great Bay (estuary) and of course, the Atlantic ocean. My favorite streams up north probably will not be fishable until early May. You are very lucky. By the way, those trout are sublimely beautiful. You found the BEST way to open a new season!
Shawnny3 on Mar 22, 2008March 22nd, 2008, 1:06 am EDT
Great job, Smallstream. I'll be out soon enough. The water was really high during Spring Break last week - killin' me.
-Shawn
-Shawn
Jewelry-Quality Artistic Salmon Flies, by Shawn Davis
www.davisflydesigns.com
www.davisflydesigns.com
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