Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica
The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.
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This specimen resembled several others of around the same size and perhaps the same species, which were pretty common in my February sample from the upper Yakima. Unfortunately, I misplaced the specimen before I could get it under a microscope for a definitive ID.
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.
Jesse on May 10, 2010May 10th, 2010, 2:40 am EDT
Hey everybody, i just wanted to inform all of you because im so happy and proud of myself, that i am going to Ireland to represent Montana in the first ever world varsities trout fly fishing competition. I got in this position by first getting my application accepted and then competing in a fly casting competition here on UM's campus. My partner is Tony Tomsu, who is a very established fly tyer and foam cutter distributor. There are only 3 other two-man teams in the US that will be competing, the other 16 are from all over the world. We are going to be going to Ireleand towards the end of August to fish the Lough Corrib; and thats where maybe you guys could come into great help. So, does anybody have any thoughts or experiences of the Corrib? I have been doing a lot of research on the massive lake but any information would be great and much appreciated guys. Thanks again for the time!
Most of us fish our whole lives..not knowing its not the fish that we are after.
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com
Oldredbarn on May 10, 2010May 10th, 2010, 4:50 am EDT
Jesse,
First off...Good luck and we all hope you represent us well young man! Many years back I subscribed to "Trout & Salmon" published in England. They are really big in to this Lough fishing and the competition side of it.
When is it?
You may want to practise, say on Hebgen Lake, and they use something that I think is called a "drogue" which is like a parchute that follows behind your boat in the water and controls your drift. They may provide this, but I would check it out.
The wind is a big factor, but you are practising out west and should be ok with this.
Think midges! They are big on "Buzzers" etc and "Klinkhammers". Check out Hans Weilenmann's site and look at some of the flies the Euro's are tying...They also toss weird flies like the "Whiskey Fly" etc that sink...Think brightly colored marabou flies.
There is a great book by Charles Jardine that you may find in a fly shop out your way called something like "Fly Fishing for Trout" or some such...It is loaded with Euro style flies...It also has a section in it about Lough fishing and I think he's a big competitor as well.
Anyway! You guys should do fine and it may not be a bad idea to take some of your favorite western flies just to show them something different. Just getting a chance to try this out is something special.
Spence
First off...Good luck and we all hope you represent us well young man! Many years back I subscribed to "Trout & Salmon" published in England. They are really big in to this Lough fishing and the competition side of it.
When is it?
You may want to practise, say on Hebgen Lake, and they use something that I think is called a "drogue" which is like a parchute that follows behind your boat in the water and controls your drift. They may provide this, but I would check it out.
The wind is a big factor, but you are practising out west and should be ok with this.
Think midges! They are big on "Buzzers" etc and "Klinkhammers". Check out Hans Weilenmann's site and look at some of the flies the Euro's are tying...They also toss weird flies like the "Whiskey Fly" etc that sink...Think brightly colored marabou flies.
There is a great book by Charles Jardine that you may find in a fly shop out your way called something like "Fly Fishing for Trout" or some such...It is loaded with Euro style flies...It also has a section in it about Lough fishing and I think he's a big competitor as well.
Anyway! You guys should do fine and it may not be a bad idea to take some of your favorite western flies just to show them something different. Just getting a chance to try this out is something special.
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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Jmd123 on May 10, 2010May 10th, 2010, 3:02 pm EDT
Jesse, best of luck man!!!
I have not yet had the chance to fish in Europe, but if this is lake fishing you're talking about, make sure you have some good old Woolly Buggers, in size 6 - 10, black, brown, and olive, with matching hackle or grizzly. If what Spence says is true about brightly colored marabou flies, I would make up a few in chartreuse, orange, pink, etc. Weight them well to get them down to what will probably be big browns and landlocked char, possibly early Atlantic salmon. (Spey flies maybe???)
For dries I would tie some Black Gnats in various sizes. One book that I have describes this as possibly the oldest known fly pattern, dating to the 1450s or so. Again, if what Spence says is accurate, these will imitate midges. Also remember, things like the Royal Coachman and many other classic dry and wet flies were created in England...
Just off the top of my head. Again, best of luck!!!!!!!!!!!
Jonathon
I have not yet had the chance to fish in Europe, but if this is lake fishing you're talking about, make sure you have some good old Woolly Buggers, in size 6 - 10, black, brown, and olive, with matching hackle or grizzly. If what Spence says is true about brightly colored marabou flies, I would make up a few in chartreuse, orange, pink, etc. Weight them well to get them down to what will probably be big browns and landlocked char, possibly early Atlantic salmon. (Spey flies maybe???)
For dries I would tie some Black Gnats in various sizes. One book that I have describes this as possibly the oldest known fly pattern, dating to the 1450s or so. Again, if what Spence says is accurate, these will imitate midges. Also remember, things like the Royal Coachman and many other classic dry and wet flies were created in England...
Just off the top of my head. Again, best of luck!!!!!!!!!!!
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Oldredbarn on May 10, 2010May 10th, 2010, 4:51 pm EDT
Jon,
"Again, if what Spence says is accurate"...If what Spence says is accurate?! Well! It may be bullshit and he may go on for f***ing ever, but it's accurate bullshit for christsakes!
Embellished? Nahhhh! Not Spence...
The Dutchman
"Again, if what Spence says is accurate"...If what Spence says is accurate?! Well! It may be bullshit and he may go on for f***ing ever, but it's accurate bullshit for christsakes!
Embellished? Nahhhh! Not Spence...
The Dutchman
"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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Jmd123 on May 10, 2010May 10th, 2010, 5:56 pm EDT
Is that the "Flying Dutchman"?????????
Spence, you know me, I'm always throwing my 2 cents worth in wherever I think it can help...Have YOU fished in Europa?? If so, let's here some stories.
Oh God, now I've done it! We'll have to open a "Spence's Stories" special category in the forum for his novellas...
JMD ;oD
P.S. Lake fishing sucked again tonight - hoping to move to the Baldwin area for the summer to get some REAL fly fishing in...
Spence, you know me, I'm always throwing my 2 cents worth in wherever I think it can help...Have YOU fished in Europa?? If so, let's here some stories.
Oh God, now I've done it! We'll have to open a "Spence's Stories" special category in the forum for his novellas...
JMD ;oD
P.S. Lake fishing sucked again tonight - hoping to move to the Baldwin area for the summer to get some REAL fly fishing in...
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Oldredbarn on May 11, 2010May 11th, 2010, 3:29 am EDT
Jon,
"Is that the "Flying Dutchman"?????????"....No, the Fly Fishing Dutchman.
"for his novellas"...What's a novella? Way too short, man...Spence writes trilogies...
"hoping to move to the Baldwin area for the summer"...Hey everyone, if Jon moves to Baldwin he better make sure he has a guest room or two because we will all be up there for a visit this fall for the "Salmon Wars"!!! How does that sound Jon? The PA Boys are gathering soon in a secret location in PA somewhere and us "all inclusive" Michiganders will open our arms and show them how to poke a 30"+ silver torpedo right in the skinny Pere Marquette! I bet we could change their religion.
Unfortunately no fishing in Europe. Yet. I have had a couple exchange students from Germany and the youngest is living in eastern Bavaria and I would love to fish down that way...If you ever see it available at a fair price nab Charles Ritz's, "Fly Fisher's Life" and the fly fishing Europe of Hemingway comes to life. He was a pro caster and has some killer leader formulas...Or is it formulae? He also has some killer nymphs, but I don't want to give away the farm here. It must be nice to be filthy rich...He was the heir to the Ritz hotel chain.
A quick European bug story...In 1996 I was travelling through Italy with the older exchange student from Germany and we ended up sleeping in the car in a farmers field one night somewhere in Tuscany...Long story.
The next morning we realized we were parked in the middle of a beautiful painting...We were on a two track leading in to an olive orchard and down in to this mist filled valley...Olive trees and grapes everywhere. I shook the wife and surrogate son awake and we went for a pre-dawn walk. It was special. The path crossed across this little creek and there were these little size 16 sherry spinners in a mating swarm right at head level. I pointed them out and when I looked at them they both had these looks on their faces like, "Oh no! Here he goes again!...I think he parked us here last night on purpose and if a fish rises out there in that creek I'm pushing him in!"
I took them in to the lovely town of San Gimignano and we had fresh baked pastries and coffee's with the early morning rush hour Italians (pre-Euro so it cost me a million lira)...My wife bought a beautiful bowl there as a souviner and we were none the worse for wear and we have a wonderful memory we still laugh about every time we see each other. I rented a couple rooms in a town called Poggibonsi (no shit!) and we took a nap, showered, and went out for a pizza...The restaurant was empty and I swear to you fellas, sorry Casey, but the waitress was a young Sofia Loren and I thought, just for a moment, of flying home and gathering up my fishing gear and moving to Poggibonsi...Arrivederci Au Sable...Ciao young Sofia and mountain stream wild trout!
I know...This was supposed to be a short story...I better get back to work!
Spence
"Is that the "Flying Dutchman"?????????"....No, the Fly Fishing Dutchman.
"for his novellas"...What's a novella? Way too short, man...Spence writes trilogies...
"hoping to move to the Baldwin area for the summer"...Hey everyone, if Jon moves to Baldwin he better make sure he has a guest room or two because we will all be up there for a visit this fall for the "Salmon Wars"!!! How does that sound Jon? The PA Boys are gathering soon in a secret location in PA somewhere and us "all inclusive" Michiganders will open our arms and show them how to poke a 30"+ silver torpedo right in the skinny Pere Marquette! I bet we could change their religion.
Unfortunately no fishing in Europe. Yet. I have had a couple exchange students from Germany and the youngest is living in eastern Bavaria and I would love to fish down that way...If you ever see it available at a fair price nab Charles Ritz's, "Fly Fisher's Life" and the fly fishing Europe of Hemingway comes to life. He was a pro caster and has some killer leader formulas...Or is it formulae? He also has some killer nymphs, but I don't want to give away the farm here. It must be nice to be filthy rich...He was the heir to the Ritz hotel chain.
A quick European bug story...In 1996 I was travelling through Italy with the older exchange student from Germany and we ended up sleeping in the car in a farmers field one night somewhere in Tuscany...Long story.
The next morning we realized we were parked in the middle of a beautiful painting...We were on a two track leading in to an olive orchard and down in to this mist filled valley...Olive trees and grapes everywhere. I shook the wife and surrogate son awake and we went for a pre-dawn walk. It was special. The path crossed across this little creek and there were these little size 16 sherry spinners in a mating swarm right at head level. I pointed them out and when I looked at them they both had these looks on their faces like, "Oh no! Here he goes again!...I think he parked us here last night on purpose and if a fish rises out there in that creek I'm pushing him in!"
I took them in to the lovely town of San Gimignano and we had fresh baked pastries and coffee's with the early morning rush hour Italians (pre-Euro so it cost me a million lira)...My wife bought a beautiful bowl there as a souviner and we were none the worse for wear and we have a wonderful memory we still laugh about every time we see each other. I rented a couple rooms in a town called Poggibonsi (no shit!) and we took a nap, showered, and went out for a pizza...The restaurant was empty and I swear to you fellas, sorry Casey, but the waitress was a young Sofia Loren and I thought, just for a moment, of flying home and gathering up my fishing gear and moving to Poggibonsi...Arrivederci Au Sable...Ciao young Sofia and mountain stream wild trout!
I know...This was supposed to be a short story...I better get back to work!
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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
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