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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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.

I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.

The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.

Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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.

Sundula has attached these 7 pictures to this report. The message is below.
Good brown with beautiful color.
Eleven Mile Dam
First thing in the morning
First thing in the morning
Mid afternoon you can see the color change of the aspens
Down stream of last pic

Report at a Glance

Dates Fished9/23/06
Time of Day8:00a - 4:45p
Fish Caught20 - 30 Browns and Rainbows ranging from 6" - 15"
Conditions & HatchesThe flow was aaround 100cfs, the water was gin clear, and the Baetis were coming off all day! Awesome day!

Details and Discussion

Sundula
Littleton, Colorado

Posts: 35
Sundula on Sep 24, 2006September 24th, 2006, 8:16 am EDT
When we arrived there was about 3" - 6" of snow on the ground and the air temp was 28 degrees, when the sun came up over the canyon around 9 - 9:30, the air temp moved up to the forties, and it was on. There was a huge Baetis hatch that began at 9:30a that lasted more than an hour. Through out the day there were several more much smaller but just as productive hatches of Baetis.
Effective Flies: Barr's Emerger #20, BWO Dun #18 - #22, Parachute BWO #18 - #22, Mercury RS2 #20 - #22, "Traditional" RS2 #18 - #22, Mercury Baetis #18 - #20
I attached some pictures of the canyon so everyone could see why I spend so much time on the South Platte.
Troutnut
Troutnut's profile picture
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Sep 24, 2006September 24th, 2006, 8:27 am EDT
Sounds like a dream!

It's really not supposed to be snowing yet, though! Where did summer go? Get back here, season!
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut
Troutnut's profile picture
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Sep 24, 2006September 24th, 2006, 8:39 am EDT
I just saw those pictures you attached. The snowy one with the sun just peeking over the ridge is terrific!
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Sundula
Littleton, Colorado

Posts: 35
Sundula on Sep 24, 2006September 24th, 2006, 8:52 am EDT
From now until the end of October into November can be the best fishing of the year. I took the week off work to fish the Baetis hatches. Thank you for the comment of my photo, it means alot comming from you, I love your photography.
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Dec 18, 2006December 18th, 2006, 2:27 pm EST
Sundula, thanks for the photos for us Easterners who can't get out to see this beautiful water (at least right now). I loved the pictures.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Sundula
Littleton, Colorado

Posts: 35
Sundula on Dec 18, 2006December 18th, 2006, 2:45 pm EST
Thank you!
DeRidder
Corinth TX

Posts: 3
DeRidder on Dec 19, 2006December 19th, 2006, 5:09 am EST
Stunning Photography, only place I've fished on the S Platte was Cheesmans canyon and it wasn't nearly that beautiful.
Thanks for sharing
Don

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