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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Setvena wahkeena (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph Setvena wahkeena (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph

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.

7 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.

Site updates from June 12, 2011

Photos by Troutnut from Ruby Creek, the Delta River, and the Tanana River in Alaska

Dwarf hawksbeard, Crepis nana.

From Ruby Creek in Alaska

It's kind of a crappy place to make one's home if you ask me, but this spider didn't ask.

From Ruby Creek in Alaska

It's almost like this moose knew a dog was going to come along, and set everything out on a prominent, elevated plate for her.

From Ruby Creek in Alaska

This is "milky draba" or "milky whitlowgrass," Draba lactea.

From Ruby Creek in Alaska

I figured this dead, adult moose was a great reason to turn around, rather than continuing up the canyon and having to sneak back past it after whatever had been eating on it came back.

From Ruby Creek in Alaska

This golden eagle was probably attracted by that moose carcass.

From Ruby Creek in Alaska

Comments / replies

Falsifly

Hayward, WI.

Posts: 660

Falsifly on Jun 14, 2011June 14th, 2011, 5:10 pm EDT

So, the trout in Alaska are carnivorous, taking down unsuspecting moose as they cross the rivers, akin to the African crocs feeding on the wildebeests?

Falsifly
When asked what I just caught that monster on I showed him. He put on his magnifiers and said, "I can't believe they can see that."

GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681

GONZO on Jun 14, 2011June 14th, 2011, 5:21 pm EDT

Fantastic photos, Jason. There are probably some things that you won't miss about Alaska when you leave (the long dark winters, Sarah Palin--I'm just guessing), but I'm sure that images like these will not be among them.

Falsifly

Hayward, WI.

Posts: 660

Falsifly on Jun 14, 2011June 14th, 2011, 6:06 pm EDT

(the long dark winters, Sarah Palin--I'm just guessing)

Dang it Gonzo, just when I thought it was safe to go outside.

Falsifly
When asked what I just caught that monster on I showed him. He put on his magnifiers and said, "I can't believe they can see that."

GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681

GONZO on Jun 14, 2011June 14th, 2011, 6:21 pm EDT

Yeah, sorry about that, Allan. I apologize to all fans of Ms. Palin...and long dark winters.

Oldredbarn

Novi, MI

Posts: 2600

Oldredbarn on Jun 14, 2011June 14th, 2011, 6:34 pm EDT

Jason,

Thanks for sharing you experiences etc since you have been way up there. We here at TroutNut have had wonderful stories, photos, something of an education on Alaska and it's fishery, and even got to share a bit in a love story...Can't beat that...And to think most of us came here for the bugs?! Go figure...

Spence

I'm enjoying the trip back to Alyeska right here from my living room in Detroit.

"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively

"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood

Troutnut

Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758

Troutnut on Jun 14, 2011June 14th, 2011, 9:51 pm EDT

There are probably some things that you won't miss about Alaska when you leave (the long dark winters, Sarah Palin--I'm just guessing)

Good guesses!

One less expected thing I won't miss is the lack of ordinary hatch-matching fishing. The grayling are almost too easy to catch.

Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Jun 15, 2011June 15th, 2011, 6:44 pm EDT

Jason, NEVER fret about fish that are "too easy to catch". Some of us live for those days! Especially on those days when you couldn't catch a fish using dynamite...

Spectacular scenery! Great golden eagle shot! Moose poop! And thanks for the scientific plant names, from this botany geek.

Jonathon

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 15, 2011June 15th, 2011, 7:31 pm EDT

Very nice photos.

Troutnut

Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758

Troutnut on Jun 15, 2011June 15th, 2011, 8:07 pm EDT

Jason, NEVER fret about fish that are "too easy to catch". Some of us live for those days! Especially on those days when you couldn't catch a fish using dynamite...

It's just nice to have a little mystery about what you're going to catch. Grayling fishing around here, I can pretty much map out how many and what size I will catch before I leave the house. It's still fun, but it's made me appreciate the excitement that comes with the element of uncertainty in fishing for difficult trout.

Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist