Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica
The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.
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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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Oldredbarn has attached these 8 pictures. The message is below.
Oldredbarn on Jun 27, 2011June 27th, 2011, 7:25 am EDT
Early on Father's Day morning I got a call from some friends up north that a room had become available for a few days if I wanted it. A good friend/guide up there wanted to float with me Saturday night in hopes of finding some Hex.
It is a little funny to me but almost everytime I head out for Hex I catch a nice fish at dusk on an Iso...I did it again.
The water we fished was below the confluence of the North Branch with the Mainstream and it's wider, deeper, and slower than the water I normally fish up near Grayling. The rise form is so damn subtle its easy to miss. My friend spotted it and we turned the boat around and snuck up on it from below tucked right up against the left bank.
I had to cast side arm upstream and was never really sure I had seen the rise. My friend kept saying, "There Spence! Did you see it?" It was just after sunset and I was looking upstream at a patch that was lit by the little bit of light left.
He was 20.5" and as fat as a pig!
My friend sat me up over a nice fish later during the Hex. It got really cold Saturday evening and the hatch was spotty but some fish fed. It was pitch dark and I could only hear the fish feeding and like a damn bat had to triangulate to where the fish was...I finally got him to take my fly, I let out a whoop, and it was off...My damn knot came loose! I don't know if I missed a step in the dark, or that I'm just not used to 1x mono when I was fishing 6x the few days earlier...Not sure. I had to hear it all the way down to the take out...My friend would of probably choaked me except we had too much shit in the boat between us...:)
The little Brook was taken on the Lower section of the North Branch before it hits the Main a few bends just upstream from Chauncey Lively's old cabin...I would of given you "P.A. Boys" a picture of the cabin but Chauncey loved the river and left all the trees alone and all you can see is his old dock until fall. I was told the next day that after he passed his daughters sold the place.
The guys that gave up the room must of known something since Thursday it rained like hell all damn day. If you ignore the Hex up there this time of year the river is yours...All the Hex guys sleep all day and fish late. Even during the rain the dorothea's, what's left of the invaria's, where hatching along with a few Light Cahill's...I had little yellow stones, Iso's and a few gray drakes here and there. There were the small 18/19 Baetis, a tinier one and one even smaller that only Tony would dream of fishing.
Anyway! I had a great four extra days of fishing.
Spence
It is a little funny to me but almost everytime I head out for Hex I catch a nice fish at dusk on an Iso...I did it again.
The water we fished was below the confluence of the North Branch with the Mainstream and it's wider, deeper, and slower than the water I normally fish up near Grayling. The rise form is so damn subtle its easy to miss. My friend spotted it and we turned the boat around and snuck up on it from below tucked right up against the left bank.
I had to cast side arm upstream and was never really sure I had seen the rise. My friend kept saying, "There Spence! Did you see it?" It was just after sunset and I was looking upstream at a patch that was lit by the little bit of light left.
He was 20.5" and as fat as a pig!
My friend sat me up over a nice fish later during the Hex. It got really cold Saturday evening and the hatch was spotty but some fish fed. It was pitch dark and I could only hear the fish feeding and like a damn bat had to triangulate to where the fish was...I finally got him to take my fly, I let out a whoop, and it was off...My damn knot came loose! I don't know if I missed a step in the dark, or that I'm just not used to 1x mono when I was fishing 6x the few days earlier...Not sure. I had to hear it all the way down to the take out...My friend would of probably choaked me except we had too much shit in the boat between us...:)
The little Brook was taken on the Lower section of the North Branch before it hits the Main a few bends just upstream from Chauncey Lively's old cabin...I would of given you "P.A. Boys" a picture of the cabin but Chauncey loved the river and left all the trees alone and all you can see is his old dock until fall. I was told the next day that after he passed his daughters sold the place.
The guys that gave up the room must of known something since Thursday it rained like hell all damn day. If you ignore the Hex up there this time of year the river is yours...All the Hex guys sleep all day and fish late. Even during the rain the dorothea's, what's left of the invaria's, where hatching along with a few Light Cahill's...I had little yellow stones, Iso's and a few gray drakes here and there. There were the small 18/19 Baetis, a tinier one and one even smaller that only Tony would dream of fishing.
Anyway! I had a great four extra days of fishing.
Spence
"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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Jmd123 on Jun 27, 2011June 27th, 2011, 9:56 am EDT
Well done Spence!! And wildflower pictures too!! Are my botanical tendencies rubbing off on ya? Glad to hear you had some good dry fly fishing. And the Hex are happening - guess it's about that time! Nice photos and congrats on getting some time to get up north and chase a few trout.
Jonathon
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Oldredbarn on Jun 27, 2011June 27th, 2011, 12:32 pm EDT
And wildflower pictures too!!
Jonathon,
I'm an old kid from the 60's, man! Flower-Power still burns in the heart of this old dutchman! :)
Spence
"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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Jmd123 on Jun 27, 2011June 27th, 2011, 12:45 pm EDT
FAR OUT, man!!
Jonathon
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
PaulRoberts on Jun 27, 2011June 27th, 2011, 3:47 pm EDT
Very nice, Spence. Sounds like a really great time. Love the boat too.
Jesse on Jun 27, 2011June 27th, 2011, 4:49 pm EDT
Nice shots my man good to see!
Most of us fish our whole lives..not knowing its not the fish that we are after.
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com
Oldredbarn on Jun 27, 2011June 27th, 2011, 5:34 pm EDT
Paul,
I've added another photo to the above post to show you a full picture of an Au Sable river boat. They go back to the logging days and are rather easy to pole upstream if needed. They are flat bottomed...This photo was taken on a swollen South Branch on a Saturday on the weekend of Memorial Day this past May. That's Jim having a snack. He needs all the energy he can get to put up with my never ending chatter down the river and unhooking the occasional fly I snag in the Tag Alder's...Floating with Spence is above and beyond the call of duty! :)
They are a great platform to fish from and a real traditional part of the Au Sable.
Spence
I've added another photo to the above post to show you a full picture of an Au Sable river boat. They go back to the logging days and are rather easy to pole upstream if needed. They are flat bottomed...This photo was taken on a swollen South Branch on a Saturday on the weekend of Memorial Day this past May. That's Jim having a snack. He needs all the energy he can get to put up with my never ending chatter down the river and unhooking the occasional fly I snag in the Tag Alder's...Floating with Spence is above and beyond the call of duty! :)
They are a great platform to fish from and a real traditional part of the Au Sable.
Spence
"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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
PaulRoberts on Jun 27, 2011June 27th, 2011, 6:08 pm EDT
Long and narrow with a flat bottom, draws very little. Nifty.
Chatty?
One day a while back "Rip" Ripson, "Snake" Burns, and I are downrigger trolling on Lake Ontario. As afternoon sets in the action falters and we're all sitting as if in a trance listening to the thrum of the motor at near idle and the whine of the cables. I finally get up to grab a sandwich. No sooner have I downed it when, fully re-energized, I jump to my feet and start animatedly telling the guys what it's like when a steelhead hits.
"Suddenly there's a big chromer out there leaping. And there's always a delay. Your eyes scan rapidly back and forth amongst the rods waiting to see which one will double over. Then, one bows deeply and..you're off to the races."
No sooner have I finished when a big chrome steely leaps clear. Everybody leaps to their feet, scanning the rods. And one doubles over. Snake is up and soon puts his first ever steely in the boat -a gorgeous 10lb buck. A short while later all is silent again, save the thrum and whine. Rip says, "Get Paul another sandwich."
Chatty?
One day a while back "Rip" Ripson, "Snake" Burns, and I are downrigger trolling on Lake Ontario. As afternoon sets in the action falters and we're all sitting as if in a trance listening to the thrum of the motor at near idle and the whine of the cables. I finally get up to grab a sandwich. No sooner have I downed it when, fully re-energized, I jump to my feet and start animatedly telling the guys what it's like when a steelhead hits.
"Suddenly there's a big chromer out there leaping. And there's always a delay. Your eyes scan rapidly back and forth amongst the rods waiting to see which one will double over. Then, one bows deeply and..you're off to the races."
No sooner have I finished when a big chrome steely leaps clear. Everybody leaps to their feet, scanning the rods. And one doubles over. Snake is up and soon puts his first ever steely in the boat -a gorgeous 10lb buck. A short while later all is silent again, save the thrum and whine. Rip says, "Get Paul another sandwich."
Oldredbarn on Jun 28, 2011June 28th, 2011, 8:55 am EDT
Long and narrow with a flat bottom, draws very little. Nifty.
There are chains that are sometimes dangling from behind and the idea is to roll along pretty much at the river speed. So, when you toss out your fly you can get some really nice extended natural floats. The guide also can position the boat in such a way to get you to places you may not normally get with your fly.
We stop for a nice streamside lunch...It's very hard to beat.
They are locally made and sometimes the boat makers go back generations.
Spence
"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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Softhackle on Jun 28, 2011June 28th, 2011, 5:47 pm EDT
Spence,
Your shots make me jealous, and I envy you the great time you had. It must have been just a super time.
Mark
Your shots make me jealous, and I envy you the great time you had. It must have been just a super time.
Mark
"I have the highest respect for the skilled wet-fly fisherman, as he has mastered an art of very great difficulty." Edward R. Hewitt
Flymphs, Soft-hackles and Spiders: http://www.troutnut.com/libstudio/FS&S/index.html
Flymphs, Soft-hackles and Spiders: http://www.troutnut.com/libstudio/FS&S/index.html
Oldredbarn on Jun 29, 2011June 29th, 2011, 6:50 am EDT
Mark,
I think the smile on my face in that photo of me in the boat with the small brook just about sums it up...This is one relaxed, happy man! You know what "Home Water" is all about Mark and I'm at my most content splashing around in the old Au Sable. It could be pouring down rain, snow, sleet, or hail, and I've been there for all that, and I'd still be swinging that stick and floating them homemade flies...Grinning ear-to-ear.
Your print looks wonderful in the fly tying area, mister!!! Thanks again. I just wish it was over an old fire place in a cabin on the river somewhere and you and I were sitting there after a great day on the river sharing stories and a few cold ones. Maybe tying some flies. I know you are busy, but anytime you want to wet a line in another storied river, other than your home one, let me know.
Spence
You know, now that I'm thinking about it, the smile in that picture was probably because that fish took the "skunk-out-of-the-boat" and that means I was allowed to open a Molson's after...Rules are rules! "Can't open a beer until you touch a trout!"
I think the smile on my face in that photo of me in the boat with the small brook just about sums it up...This is one relaxed, happy man! You know what "Home Water" is all about Mark and I'm at my most content splashing around in the old Au Sable. It could be pouring down rain, snow, sleet, or hail, and I've been there for all that, and I'd still be swinging that stick and floating them homemade flies...Grinning ear-to-ear.
Your print looks wonderful in the fly tying area, mister!!! Thanks again. I just wish it was over an old fire place in a cabin on the river somewhere and you and I were sitting there after a great day on the river sharing stories and a few cold ones. Maybe tying some flies. I know you are busy, but anytime you want to wet a line in another storied river, other than your home one, let me know.
Spence
You know, now that I'm thinking about it, the smile in that picture was probably because that fish took the "skunk-out-of-the-boat" and that means I was allowed to open a Molson's after...Rules are rules! "Can't open a beer until you touch a trout!"
"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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
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