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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.
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Specific Locationgore mt/ whiteface mt areas

Details and Discussion

Mcjames
Cortland Manor, NY

Posts: 139
Mcjames on Feb 16, 2011February 16th, 2011, 3:04 am EST
I will be up there skiin next week... should i bring a rod?? or am I dreaming
I am haunted by waters
PaulRoberts
PaulRoberts's profile picture
Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Feb 16, 2011February 16th, 2011, 6:15 am EST
Brrrrrrrr... Got snowshoes?
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Feb 16, 2011February 16th, 2011, 9:44 am EST

Are there any spring creeks in the area? We're getting a warming here in PA, and depending on the weather you just might get into a fish or two. I've also had luck with brookies mid-winter, even in barely above freezing weather. They'll smack a black wooly bugger twitched downstream. Tight lines!
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell

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