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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 Setvena wahkeena (Perlodidae) (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington
As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
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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Benjlan
Benjlan's profile picture
Cedar Rapids lowa

Posts: 54
Benjlan on Mar 6, 2011March 6th, 2011, 3:16 pm EST
http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h428/Benjlan/004.jpg?t=1299469424

hares ear bead head
JAD
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Alexandria Pa

Posts: 362
JAD on Mar 8, 2011March 8th, 2011, 6:54 am EST
Does that fish have Whirling Disease It's a good catch but looks funny in the middle.( Maybe it's just me)

Best
John

They fasten red (crimson red) wool around a hook, and fix onto the wool two feathers which grow under a cock’s wattles, and which in colour are like wax.
Radcliffe's Fishing from the Earliest Times,
Benjlan
Benjlan's profile picture
Cedar Rapids lowa

Posts: 54
Benjlan on Mar 8, 2011March 8th, 2011, 12:17 pm EST
I think it was a very skinny fish, didn't act strange but it was very thin.

Ben

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