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 specimen resembled several others of around the same size and perhaps the same species, which were pretty common in my February sample from the upper Yakima. Unfortunately, I misplaced the specimen before I could get it under a microscope for a definitive ID.
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PaulRoberts on Feb 21, 2012February 21st, 2012, 10:40 am EST
Hydropsychids exemplify what is so fascinating and rewarding about fly fishing; How greatly a given insect's life cycle influences not only when, where, and how we fish, but how we construct our flies and how we fish each.
The ties below were fashioned from almost entirely "found" materials -not from a fly shop but plucked from nature, the laboratory, even the trash.
Hydropsychid larvae turn up in lots of stomach samples I've taken but, so far, never in any numbers -just one here and there. This suggests to me that, although abundant, they are not terribly available to trout much of the time. I've yet to try LaFontaine's "white rappelling line", but have seen these larvae rappelling in my stream tank (disturbed by another larger Hydropsychid) and on stream at night with a flashlight.
Since I just haven’t seen it, I omit the “gas bubble” in my pupal ties:
Better lighting…
Some Hydropsychid pupae drift a ways at the surface so I’ve tied in-the-film emergers too.
Since adult Hyropsychids are such good fliers upon emergence, and divers attract such attention during egg-laying, I don’t usually tie dry adults. But some Cheumatopsyche can float a ways upon emergence, so I tie some of them.
Divers have been just plain killers for me.
The ties below were fashioned from almost entirely "found" materials -not from a fly shop but plucked from nature, the laboratory, even the trash.
Hydropsychid larvae turn up in lots of stomach samples I've taken but, so far, never in any numbers -just one here and there. This suggests to me that, although abundant, they are not terribly available to trout much of the time. I've yet to try LaFontaine's "white rappelling line", but have seen these larvae rappelling in my stream tank (disturbed by another larger Hydropsychid) and on stream at night with a flashlight.
Since I just haven’t seen it, I omit the “gas bubble” in my pupal ties:
Better lighting…
Some Hydropsychid pupae drift a ways at the surface so I’ve tied in-the-film emergers too.
Since adult Hyropsychids are such good fliers upon emergence, and divers attract such attention during egg-laying, I don’t usually tie dry adults. But some Cheumatopsyche can float a ways upon emergence, so I tie some of them.
Divers have been just plain killers for me.
GldstrmSam on Feb 21, 2012February 21st, 2012, 11:46 am EST
The ties below were fashioned from almost entirely "found" materials -not from a fly shop but plucked from nature, the laboratory, even the trash.
Those are some of my favorite materials.:)
There is no greater fan of fly fishing than the worm. ~Patrick F. McManus
Jmd123 on Feb 22, 2012February 22nd, 2012, 4:31 am EST
"...plucked from...the laboratory..."
Just curious, Paul, to know what laboratory environment you are referring to. Though I am primarily a field biologist, I have had several lab jobs, including arthritis and cancer research, drug product quality control analysis, and even transmission electron microscopy (TEM). I prefer being outside though...and, my Field Biology class is on schedule for this summer! Mondays and Wednesdays 5 - 7:10 p.m. I plan on taking them on at least one field trip per week, perhaps in an "ecosystem per week" format. This area is rediculously rich in various habitats, everything from bog to sand dunes...
Sorry to go a bit off-topic...BTW, VERY nice flies! Especially the first one, high on the realism scale!
Jonathon
Just curious, Paul, to know what laboratory environment you are referring to. Though I am primarily a field biologist, I have had several lab jobs, including arthritis and cancer research, drug product quality control analysis, and even transmission electron microscopy (TEM). I prefer being outside though...and, my Field Biology class is on schedule for this summer! Mondays and Wednesdays 5 - 7:10 p.m. I plan on taking them on at least one field trip per week, perhaps in an "ecosystem per week" format. This area is rediculously rich in various habitats, everything from bog to sand dunes...
Sorry to go a bit off-topic...BTW, VERY nice flies! Especially the first one, high on the realism scale!
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
PaulRoberts on Feb 22, 2012February 22nd, 2012, 6:41 am EST
Hi Jonathan, I was at a university teaching and research veterinary hospital.
Your Field Biology class sounds great.
Your Field Biology class sounds great.
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