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.

I caught a nice brookie a few weeks earlier in this pool at the junction of a split channel in the stream. The huge fallen tree is great cover.

From the Mystery Creek # 23 in New York

Stream photos

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Zapada cinctipes (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph Zapada cinctipes (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Zapada cinctipes (Nemouridae) (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

Nymphs of this species were fairly common in late-winter kick net samples from the upper Yakima River. Although I could not find a key to species of Zapada nymphs, a revision of the Nemouridae family by Baumann (1975) includes the following helpful sentence: "2 cervical gills on each side of midline, 1 arising inside and 1 outside of lateral cervical sclerites, usually single and elongate, sometimes constricted but with 3 or 4 branches arising beyond gill base in Zapada cinctipes." This specimen clearly has the branches and is within the range of that species.

13 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.

Need help..

Nightangler
Branson Missouri

Posts: 1

Nightangler on Sep 15, 2006September 15th, 2006, 6:04 am EDT

First off...

Very nice site Jason!!

next...

I would like alittle thinking of a good night time pattern for the White Miller (Nectopsyche albida )... I seen a few hatching... and the fish are hitting on white woollies buggers... I think if I got closer to the fly itself.. Id pick up alot more fish...

Any thoughts on a fly to tye??

GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681

GONZO on Sep 16, 2006September 16th, 2006, 9:29 am EDT

Here are a few simple flies you might try--

For active (skittering) adults: Try a white Elk-Hair Caddis, (+/-) #14. If you are tying your own, you might want to add a very pale green body and a light ginger or cream hackle under the light elk- or deer-hair wing.

For spent (flush in the film) adults: Use the same pattern minus the palmered hackle (or just fish the above fly untreated and soggy).

For submerged (drowned or diving) adults: The classic White Miller wet fly works (but add a pale green body if tying your own).

For emerging pupa: You probably won't find a commercial pattern to match the pupa; so tie a soft-hackle style with a pale green (or cream) body ribbed with pearl Krystal Flash, a tan shoulder (thorax) and a collar of the palest partridge you can find.

Good Luck!