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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 Ephemerella mucronata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.
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.

Troutnut
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Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 10:50 am EDT
As a former astronomy major-turned-stream ecologist and bug collector, this Calvin & Hobbes cartoon tells the whole story of my life.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 11:09 am EDT
Perfect, Jason! :)
Oldredbarn
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Novi, MI

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 12:34 pm EDT
And don't you just hate it when a canoe comes down the stream quietly and catches you staring down in to the water or they see you swiping at something they can't see in the air? We have to admit, if someone were to film us, we may appear a bit odd...

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
Creno
Grants Pass, OR

Posts: 302
Creno on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 12:40 pm EDT
I have had that message on my dungeon door for years...... always loved C&H
Jmd123
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Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 6:09 pm EDT
I've been fortunate enough to have an ex-wife and a couple of subsequent girlfriends who actually did this as well...too bad none of them were nice enough to me to keep around...Next one who does this AND is nice enough to me gets a wedding ring...

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on May 2, 2010May 2nd, 2010, 6:10 pm EDT
P.S. Okay, she also has to be good looking AND good in bed...

JMD
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
CaseyP
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Arlington, VA/ Mercersburg, PA

Posts: 653
CaseyP on May 4, 2010May 4th, 2010, 4:27 pm EDT
sorry, Jmd, i'm already taken...;-)
"You can observe a lot by watching." Yogi Berra
Oldredbarn
Oldredbarn's profile picture
Novi, MI

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on May 5, 2010May 5th, 2010, 2:51 am EDT
What did I just miss here?! I must be asleep at the wheel these days...

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
CaseyP
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Arlington, VA/ Mercersburg, PA

Posts: 653
CaseyP on May 5, 2010May 5th, 2010, 3:53 pm EDT
some troutnuts are lady anglers, and some of us have a sense of the outrageous. Best Fishing Buddy thought it was pretty funny!
"You can observe a lot by watching." Yogi Berra
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on May 5, 2010May 5th, 2010, 5:54 pm EDT
Spence, I believe there is what we referred to in the Army as a "female" hiding in our midst...

HEHEHEHEHE CaseyP...you gotta sister???? ;oD

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...

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