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.

Mount Deborah and Hess Mountains. Two of the greatest peaks of the Alaska Range rise behind the braided, glacial Susitna River. These massive mountains are 35 miles north of where I took this picture.

From the Susitna River in Alaska

Stream photos

Featured on the forum

Re: Trico emergers
In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Bwoklink (Martinlf replied)

Re: Trico Tips
In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Martinlf

Re: UV spectrum and trout
In General Discussion by Martinlf

Re: closing the gender gap in flyfishing
In General Discussion by Konchu (Smallflyguy replied)

Re: Fishing Kupa River, Slovenia
In Fishing Reports by Slocum (Fish1 replied)

Female Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult Female Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult

Lateral view of a Female Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the Columbia River in Washington

7 Recently Added Photos

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.

Weird Bug Question...

Oldredbarn

Novi, MI

Posts: 2600

Oldredbarn on Apr 20, 2010April 20th, 2010, 8:01 am EDT

I was fishing a pond yesterday over sad, sad, stockies in my float tube. I love the midge fishing on this pond and seldom get a chance to fish still waters. Anyway...I noticed, as I was watching for the hatching bugs, that there were a number of little spiders on the water. At one point I felt a small bite on my neck and there was one of these spiders. My question is, can spiders actually use the surface tension of a pond to stay above the water and is this a hunting technique that they employ? The pond had midges emerging all over it and there seemed way too many spiders on the water to be an accident...It wasn't that windy.

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

Wiflyfisher

Wisconsin

Posts: 622

Wiflyfisher on Apr 20, 2010April 20th, 2010, 8:15 am EDT

Spence, a lot of insects, like water striders, spiders, ants, etc. can use the surface tension to walk or run across the surface.. I have even seen large dock spiders running on the surface.

John S.
https://WiFlyFisher.com