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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 Glossosoma (Glossosomatidae) (Little Brown Short-horned Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
I caught this tiny larva without a case, but it seems to key pretty clearly to to Glossosomatidae. From there, the lack of sclerites on the mesonotum points to either Glossosoma or Anagapetus. Although it's difficult to see in a 2D image from the microscope, it's pretty clear in the live 3D view that the pronotum is only excised about 1/3 of its length to accommodate the forecoxa, not 2/3, which points to Glossosoma at Couplet 5 of the Key to Genera of Glossosomatidae Larvae.
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.

Trtklr
Banned
Michigan

Posts: 115
Trtklr on Nov 17, 2008November 17th, 2008, 6:05 am EST
Ok, as some of you may or may not know I have been salmon/trout fishing for just a few years now. I have heard some serious conflicting stories about salmon on the run. I had someone tell me that salmon develop lock jaw once in the stream and can't bite, which know not to be true, this was told to me by a gentleman that was head of the fishing dept at gander mtn. but what i am in conflict of is I have heard from two salmon fishers that salmon make 5 runs up a river to spawn and on the fifth time they die. my theory has always been that they make one trip to spawn and die. I have told these people they are probably thinking about steelhead not salmon. so help me out here could ya?
I have seen nothing more beautiful than the sunrise on a cold stream.
Troutnut
Troutnut's profile picture
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Nov 17, 2008November 17th, 2008, 6:56 am EST
Wow, there's lots of misinformation out there.

I had someone tell me that salmon develop lock jaw once in the stream and can't bite, which know not to be true, this was told to me by a gentleman that was head of the fishing dept at gander mtn.


The guy should be fired. Telling people that will just encourage snagging and depress his lure sales... nobody wins. Dumb.

Salmon stop feeding once they enter the stream to spawn. They still have aggressive instincts and will reflexively attack and bite various things, which is how we catch them. They just aren't feeding when they bite.

I have heard from two salmon fishers that salmon make 5 runs up a river to spawn and on the fifth time they die.


I don't know where that comes from. Pacific salmon (kings and cohos in Michigan) ALWAYS spawn only once and die. Atlantic salmon, like steelhead, can spawn more than once. I'm not sure what the typical spawning mortality rates are, but I think I've seen numbers in the ballpark of 50% for those repeat spawners. (Fancy vocabulary words of the day: Pacific salmon are semelparous, spawning only once, while Atlantic salmon and steelhead are iteroparous, spawning more than once.) I'm sure that very few live long enough to make 5 spawning runs. The idea that they all run up exactly 5 times and then flop over dead is ridiculous.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Trtklr
Banned
Michigan

Posts: 115
Trtklr on Nov 18, 2008November 18th, 2008, 6:44 am EST
thank-you, did not know that about atlantic salmon
I have seen nothing more beautiful than the sunrise on a cold stream.

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