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.

The "Fountain Flats" stretch of the Firehole was fishable in the morning after an uncharacteristically cold August night.

From the Firehole River in Wyoming

Stream photos

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Male Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun Male Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun

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This dun emerged from a mature nymph on my desk. Unfortunately its wings didn't perfectly dry out.

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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.

Tortopus primus

Willmilne
Manitoba Canada

Posts: 19

Willmilne on May 18, 2009May 18th, 2009, 12:49 pm EDT

Hi

I have recently uncovered a locale with recorded collection records for both these species and am keen to collect and photograph specimens.Nymphs and adults . I have light traps/emergence traps for the adults but...

Does anyone have suggested substrate/stream location preferences for the nymphs? For P.vittigera all I can find is a preference for clay banks and T.primus nada.

Any help would be deeply appreciated.

Will

GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681

GONZO on May 18, 2009May 18th, 2009, 5:44 pm EDT

Will,

Both species apparently burrow in clay banks. Berner (1988) offers some information. He quotes Scott et al. (1959) describing the substrate preferred by Tortopus in the Savannah River:

"The clay substrate inhabited by Tortopus is always firm, nearly always vertical, and usually exposed to swift water."

Berner notes that the burrows enter the bank at right angles forming U-shaped tubes with parallel arms. In the description of Pentagenia, he mentions this:

McCafferty (1975) collected nymphs in hard clay banks approximitely three feet below the water surface in the Wabash River in Indiana. He found the clay banks to be honeycombed by Pentagenia nymphs in the same manner that the banks of the Savannah River are honeycombed by Tortopus.

Konchu

Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 498

Konchu on May 19, 2009May 19th, 2009, 6:07 am EDT

If you're not afraid of hard work and possibility of drowning, go for it! It takes some hard digging...

Willmilne
Manitoba Canada

Posts: 19

Willmilne on May 19, 2009May 19th, 2009, 11:52 am EDT

Thank you for the info. that helps a great deal as the locale offers some accessible spots that would match those descriptions.

Konchu- the work is not a problem - drowning might put a serious damper on my summer plans:)))

Will

Willmilne
Manitoba Canada

Posts: 19

Willmilne on May 19, 2009May 19th, 2009, 2:55 pm EDT

Thanks for the mention of Berner and McCafferty - I found some info on the FAMU site that will be a great help.

Will