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.

This little pool in update New York is enjoyed by many tourists every day, and it still holds a few trout -- stockers mostly, but you can't complain about the setting!

From Mystery Creek # 62 in New York

Stream photos

Featured on the forum

Re: Trico emergers
In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Bwoklink (Martinlf replied)

Re: Trico Tips
In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Martinlf

Re: UV spectrum and trout
In General Discussion by Martinlf

Re: closing the gender gap in flyfishing
In General Discussion by Konchu (Smallflyguy replied)

Re: Fishing Kupa River, Slovenia
In Fishing Reports by Slocum (Fish1 replied)

Zapada cinctipes (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph Zapada cinctipes (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Zapada cinctipes (Nemouridae) (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

Nymphs of this species were fairly common in late-winter kick net samples from the upper Yakima River. Although I could not find a key to species of Zapada nymphs, a revision of the Nemouridae family by Baumann (1975) includes the following helpful sentence: "2 cervical gills on each side of midline, 1 arising inside and 1 outside of lateral cervical sclerites, usually single and elongate, sometimes constricted but with 3 or 4 branches arising beyond gill base in Zapada cinctipes." This specimen clearly has the branches and is within the range of that species.

13 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.

Kennebago Mayfly

Kennebago has attached this picture to aid in identification. The message is below.

Kennebago

Kennebago Maine

Posts: 2

Kennebago on Jan 7, 2012January 7th, 2012, 7:50 am EST

I've been told this could be a brown drake or a green drake.....any help on the correct identification please?

Fish Kennebago, you'll be glad you did.

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on Jan 7, 2012January 7th, 2012, 10:30 am EST

Hi Kennebago -

Welcome to the forum!

The insect in your photo is a Hexagenia (probably limbata) male imago (spinner), usually referred to as "Hex" in current fly fishing journalism. Besides Hex, the most used common names seem to be Great Yellow Drake (in regions w/out E. varia), Big Yellow May, and Michigan Caddis. Great Lead-winged Olive or Lead-winged Drake are also common for the darker winged non-yellowish strains of this species. There is a lot of regional variation in appearance and the males are smaller and often much darker than the females. This is the reason for so many different descriptive names for the same species.

Though they do belong to the same family of mayflies (Ephemeridae), the names Green Drake and Brown Drake refer to three tailed species in the different genus Ephemera. Tail counts in the adults aside, all the nymphs of this family have a similar appearance. They can be easily identified by their large size, heavily gilled abdomens and tusks.

BTW - Nice photo.

Best Regards

"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman

Kennebago

Kennebago Maine

Posts: 2

Kennebago on Jan 8, 2012January 8th, 2012, 1:41 am EST

Thanks very much for the clarification. I use an Olympus 790 Stylus camera now. Had drowned two earlier digital cameras on the river before wising up to purchase a waterproof camera. It has a very nice closeup setting.

Fish Kennebago, you'll be glad you did.

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on Jan 9, 2012January 9th, 2012, 10:30 pm EST

You're welcome. Your camera does a nice job with you at the controls. I look forward to more of your photos.

Click on this link to check out what I meant by regional variations. You wouldn't think it the same species, but it is. FWIW, if I fished your hatch, I'd call it a Lead-wing Drake. Don't like the name "Hex" and there's not much yellow or olive on your specimen.:)
http://www.troutnut.com/topic/745/Hex-in-NC
Also check out some of Jason's excellent photos under Hexagenia limbata in the hatch encyclopedia pages.

"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman