Blue-winged Olives
Baetis
Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.
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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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Canerodder has attached this picture to aid in identification. The message is below.
Canerodder
Posts: 1
Posts: 1
Canerodder on May 26, 2009May 26th, 2009, 3:52 pm EDT
Found this guy on a small creek in west Michigan yesterday around 1:30pm....a few ive talked with thought March Brown...but it was very cream colored?
GONZO on May 26, 2009May 26th, 2009, 5:43 pm EDT
Looks like a female M. vicarium dun (March Brown/Gray Fox) to me.
Konchu on May 27, 2009May 27th, 2009, 1:30 am EDT
We've had a lot of March Browns out this spring in Indiana. The light color could be because this one just emerged from the nymph stage. It takes them a bit to darken up.
Wiflyfisher on May 27, 2009May 27th, 2009, 5:02 am EDT
We've had a lot of March Browns out this spring in Indiana. The light color could be because this one just emerged from the nymph stage. It takes them a bit to darken up.
Just adding to what Konchu is saying... If you ever put your rod down and pick up a seine and capture some duns as they are emerging from their nymphal case you will probably be "dun shrucked" how much lighter they can be at this time.
I have observed that some duns spend too much time sunning themselves and get sun burned easily, which accounts for the color variations.
John S.
https://WiFlyFisher.com
https://WiFlyFisher.com
Martinlf on May 27, 2009May 27th, 2009, 8:56 am EDT
Also check the dorsal and ventral sides for the difference in color to consider what the fish sees.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
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