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.

Stream photos

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Ephemerella mucronata Mayfly Nymph Ephemerella mucronata Mayfly Nymph

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.

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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.

Site updates from May 28, 2011

Photos by Troutnut from the Chatanika River in Alaska

Comments / replies

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Jun 1, 2011June 1st, 2011, 11:41 am EDT

I see that liquid water AND greenery have both returned to your part of the world, Jason, and I bet you're glad to see them. Two things have returned here that I'm not really happy to see: mosquitos and tourists. Funny how they arrive at the same time! Those Culicid pupae must have little calendars - "OK, it's late May and the blood supply is coming soon - time to emerge!"

Jonathon

No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...

Troutnut

Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758

Troutnut on Jun 1, 2011June 1st, 2011, 3:32 pm EDT

Two things have returned here that I'm not really happy to see: mosquitos and tourists.

Got plenty of those here, too! It's amazing how the tourists stick to predictable locations in Alaska, though. On my drive back from this trip I passed probably 30 parked RVs, all of them clustered in about the three most obvious spots on the whole road. I think maybe they're so big & ugly that they're gravitationally attracted to one other, leaving delightful solitude for those of us who care to get off the beaten path.

Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Jun 1, 2011June 1st, 2011, 6:41 pm EDT

It's surprising how much even a 10-minute walk will discourage some people. After finding tourists at my favorite bass pond back in the Marsh, I walked all of said distance to my other favorite bass pond where there was no one. Good thing because I popped a nice fat 15-inch largemouth on a "froggy popper" I had just finished painting & tying, whereas I haven't gotten any bass in the other pond lately...Of course, it may be that folks don't even know the other pond is there - it's not obvious at all on Google Earth, which is how one guy found the first pond.

Jonathon

P.S. It might be magnetism that draws those RVs together, Jason...no doubt increased by the satellite antennas and big-screen TVs they bring along with them.

No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...

PaulRoberts

Colorado

Posts: 1776

PaulRoberts on Jun 2, 2011June 2nd, 2011, 7:15 am EDT

It's amazing how the tourists stick to predictable locations in Alaska, though. ...get off the beaten path.

True the world over. Everywhere I've lived/traveled I've found wonderful solitude, with accompanying wild life. From cracks in the concrete in urban 'scapes, hedgerows in eastern farmland,little tribs off known fishing waters, off trail excursions in the mountains, abandoned groves in China, to jungle 'scapes in SE Asia. It's almost always "just off the beaten path". Not only are such places richer, but they're yours, if only for the day.