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2. Get Bugs Identified
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3. Need to identify.

I'm on rivers a lot, and floated down, and set up on a big gravel bar. In the shallows was a bug that could move fast on the surface...long legs, and antennae I believe. It was large, say a size #6 and had good sized, flat, dark down wings over its body like a stonefly. I'd guess a type of cranefly? Is that enough info for one of you to take a shot at identifying it?

Water Strider - an aquatic true bug (hemipteran)

Yeah, I see those striders all the time but its been my experience that the trout pretty much ignore 'em. I'm not saying that a pattern imitating 'em wouldn't be productive from time-to-time but I've watched trout rise to this or that and move right by sriders, completely ignoring them!! What's up w/ that?

Adirman-

There are several reasons that I've heard, one that they don't taste good, and another that they are so adept at dodging fish, that the fish learn to simply avoid them.

huh!! Interesting! Makes sense to me. Do you remember where you got this info? I don't doubt what you say would just like to learn more about this if possible.

thanks,

Adirman

Adirman-

The following is a quote from The Gerridae or Water Striders of Oregon and Washington (Hemiptera:Heteroptera) by Gary M. Stonedahl and John D. Lattin, April 1982, and appears on page 3/36 of the linked document.



As to the second (possible) reason I listed for their seldom being targeted by fish, that being their skill at avoiding a pursuing fish, I can only tell you that I have only read it once, and that was many years ago, but the story had a sufficient ring of credibility, that I remembered and repeated it here.

It is also said that fish only feed on water striders when the the fish are starving, and water striders are the only available food source.

You got it! Don't think I've ever seen one of those. I had the feeling that fish wouldn't be interested in them. Thanks for the response. From now through Sept. we get Classenia (sp?) the Fall golden stone on the SF of the Snake in our Canyon area. Interesting insect. The males have short wings, and scurry around on the island rocks, and when they get blown in the water they scurry across the top not being able to fly very well. A chernobyl, in a brown underbody fished dead drifted and then at the end of the drift you raise your rod tip, and allow the fly to skate. You can get some violent strikes on browns, or cutthroats. They call them mutants, but the females are large stones that can fly well. It is only the males that are mutant.