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.

The "Fountain Flats" stretch of the Firehole was fishable in the morning after an uncharacteristically cold August night.

From the Firehole River in Wyoming

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.

Another Newbee

Krackleback

Richland, MO

Posts: 1

Krackleback on Sep 23, 2011September 23rd, 2011, 5:22 pm EDT

Hello,

I'm a retired National Park Ranger that is now rediscovering fly fishing. I was an avid fly fisherman from the time I was 8 until I got out of high school. Then work and raising a family took over and I moved away from trout streams.

Now that I'm retired I'm rediscovering the joy and grace of trout fishing. I'm hoping to start tying my own flies and I've finally located a local group of folks who seem willing to indulge a lot of questions.

I look forward to learning from all of you and hopefully being able to share as well as I progress in this wonderful hobby!

Tight Lines,

dale

Motrout

Posts: 319

Motrout on Sep 23, 2011September 23rd, 2011, 5:33 pm EDT

Hey, it's good to see another Missouri trout fisherman on here! If you're in Richland, I'd just bet we fish quite a few of the same streams. I do quite a bit of of my trout fishing in the spring creeks not too far from there, around Rolla.

I'll be looking forward to your posts!

"I don't know what fly fishing teaches us, but I think it's something we need to know."-John Gierach
http://fishingintheozarks.blogspot.com/

Oldredbarn

Novi, MI

Posts: 2600

Oldredbarn on Sep 23, 2011September 23rd, 2011, 5:40 pm EDT

Dale,

Welcome. We are a pretty diverse lot here and never short of opinions, but willing to share...

The help of your local group will get you back to speed and maybe we can fill in any gaps.

Its a great pastime this obsession of ours. Welcome back!

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