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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Perlodidae (Springflies and Yellow Stones) Stonefly Nymph Perlodidae (Springflies and Yellow Stones) Stonefly Nymph

Artistic view of a Perlodidae (Springflies and Yellow Stones) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

This one seems to lead to Couplet 35 of the Key to Genera of Perlodidae Nymphs and the genus Isoperla, but I'm skeptical that's correct based on the general look. I need to get it under the microscope to review several choices in the key, and it'll probably end up a different Perlodidae.

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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.

at last i have a bug question

CaseyP

Arlington, VA/ Mercersburg, PA

Posts: 653

CaseyP on Apr 5, 2012April 5th, 2012, 8:47 am EDT

on the Little Juniata last week we happened upon a thick hatch of large black caddis with mottled gray wings. they sure weren't the grannoms we're used to. they were about a size 10, and by the time we'd found something at the bottom of the fly boxes to try, the fish were so full they wouldn't come up any more.

sorry, no photo. any ideas?

"You can observe a lot by watching." Yogi Berra

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on Apr 5, 2012April 5th, 2012, 11:44 am EDT

Casey -

Hopefully, somebody with more familiarity with that stream will check in. The only thing that I can say is that there are five species of Brachycentrus (Grannom) reported in PA, so it doesn't surprise me that you may be seeing a species you haven't noticed before. You've also got a lot of rhyacophilids as well that may be possibilities. As to the black body with mottled gray wings, I'm not aware of any caddis with that combination in a size 10, though several species that have been around awhile as adults can have fairly dark bodies. Too bad you couldn't get a photo.:)

"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

CaseyP

Arlington, VA/ Mercersburg, PA

Posts: 653

CaseyP on Apr 5, 2012April 5th, 2012, 6:36 pm EDT