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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.

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.

This topic is about the True Fly Family Chironomidae

Midges are the most important aquatic insects in some places, especially fertile spring creeks where they are extremely abundant and the current is so slow that it's efficient for trout to surface feed on very tiny insects.

Some midges are large, up to hook size 14, but the majority are size 22 or smaller. The number of genera and species is hopelessly huge for angler entomologists to ever learn, and the identifing characteristics often require slide-mounting tiny parts under high-powered microscopes. Even the most Latin-minded fisherman must slip back to the basics--size and color--to describe his local midge hatches.

Example specimens

JAD
JAD's profile picture
Alexandria Pa

Posts: 362
JAD on Mar 4, 2010March 4th, 2010, 6:06 am EST
I thing some members will like this video on midges.
http://www.midcurrent.com/video/clips/cutter_midge.aspx

Best

JAD

They fasten red (crimson red) wool around a hook, and fix onto the wool two feathers which grow under a cock’s wattles, and which in colour are like wax.
Radcliffe's Fishing from the Earliest Times,
Falsifly
Falsifly's profile picture
Hayward, WI.

Posts: 660
Falsifly on Mar 4, 2010March 4th, 2010, 6:14 am EST
Thanks John
Falsifly
When asked what I just caught that monster on I showed him. He put on his magnifiers and said, "I can't believe they can see that."
Falsifly
Falsifly's profile picture
Hayward, WI.

Posts: 660
Falsifly on Mar 4, 2010March 4th, 2010, 6:56 am EST
John , since you brought up my favorite topic I thought I would add this for those who may have missed it.

http://www.troutnut.com/topic/1827
Falsifly
When asked what I just caught that monster on I showed him. He put on his magnifiers and said, "I can't believe they can see that."
Oldredbarn
Oldredbarn's profile picture
Novi, MI

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on Mar 4, 2010March 4th, 2010, 7:32 am EST
John,

Thanks for bringing the vid to our attention. April 1st near here they stock a small pond and it's only real food is midges...It's the only time I really get to stillwater fish for trout...It's less than a month away!

Spence
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively

"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Shawnny3
Moderator
Pleasant Gap, PA

Posts: 1197
Shawnny3 on Mar 4, 2010March 4th, 2010, 8:58 am EST
Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

-Shawn
Jewelry-Quality Artistic Salmon Flies, by Shawn Davis
www.davisflydesigns.com
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Mar 4, 2010March 4th, 2010, 1:16 pm EST
John,

I'm probably going to buy this one. Thanks.

--Louis
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell

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