Header image
Enter a name
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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.

I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.

The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.

Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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.

Freepow has attached these 8 pictures. The message is below.
Freepow
menomonie, WI

Posts: 83
Freepow on May 12, 2008May 12th, 2008, 4:10 pm EDT
Here are a couple pics from the bountiful fishing of late here in Wisconsin...enjoy!
"I fish...because I suspect that men are going along this way for the last time, and I for one don't want to waste the trip..."
BGrnFlyfish
Wisconsin

Posts: 37
BGrnFlyfish on May 14, 2008May 14th, 2008, 9:12 am EDT
What weight rod do you use? Oh, and by the way that last trout looks really yellow to me! Neat looking and nice pictures.
Seth-Big Green River, WI
BGrnFlyfish
Wisconsin

Posts: 37
BGrnFlyfish on May 14, 2008May 14th, 2008, 9:14 am EDT
If you don't mind sharing I was wondering what fly you were using that had that bright red in it.
Seth-Big Green River, WI
Freepow
menomonie, WI

Posts: 83
Freepow on May 14, 2008May 14th, 2008, 11:28 am EDT
Orange woolly bugger and my rig is Gander Mountain Guide Series rod and reel...3/4 wt. They work nice but I'd like to upgrade sometime in the next couple years.
"I fish...because I suspect that men are going along this way for the last time, and I for one don't want to waste the trip..."
Smallstream
State College, PA

Posts: 103
Smallstream on May 15, 2008May 15th, 2008, 5:43 am EDT
those are some beautiful trout!

Quick Reply

Related Discussions

Topic
Replies
Last Reply
Troutnut.com is copyright © 2004-2024 (email Jason). privacy policy