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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.

Dorsal view of a Grammotaulius betteni (Limnephilidae) (Northern Caddisfly) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
This is a striking caddis larva with an interesting color pattern on the head. Here are some characteristics I was able to see under the microscope, but could not easily expose for a picture:
- The prosternal horn is present.
- The mandible is clearly toothed, not formed into a uniform scraper blade.
- The seems to be only 2 major setae on the ventral edge of the hind femur.
- Chloride epithelia seem to be absent from the dorsal side of any abdominal segments.
Based on these characteristics and the ones more easily visible from the pictures, this seems to be Grammotaulius. The key's description of the case is spot-on: "Case cylindrical, made of longitudinally arranged sedge or similar leaves," as is the description of the markings on the head, "Dorsum of head light brownish yellow with numerous discrete, small, dark spots." The spot pattern on the head is a very good match to figure 19.312 of Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019). The species ID is based on Grammotaulius betteni being the only species of this genus known in Washington state.
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.

Mahones41 has attached these 6 pictures to aid in identification. The message is below.
Mahones41
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Posts: 11
Mahones41 on Apr 23, 2012April 23rd, 2012, 8:43 am EDT
Found this in a porch light at my house this afternoon. I do not live close to 'good' trout water, but i do have a very small creek (more of a trickle) on my property and live .5 miles from a state stocked stream that gets very low and warm in the summer. I live in SE Pa about a 20 min drive to Vally Forge national park thanks for any info! Im 90% sure it originally had 3 tails

Sean
Cutbow
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Post Falls, Idaho

Posts: 38
Cutbow on Apr 23, 2012April 23rd, 2012, 9:01 am EDT
Ephemerella invaria is my best guess if it had three tails.

Disclaimer: Photo ID of bugs is very difficult for me! :) I am anxiously awaiting word from the real bug gurus on this site. Nevertheless I hope this helps.

John
"Once you catch your first fish on a fly you won't care about any other kind of fishing!"
Entoman
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Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Apr 23, 2012April 23rd, 2012, 12:29 pm EDT
Definitely an ephemerellid missing its terminal filament and I agree it sure looks like invaria. Unassociated females of this family are difficult to identify to genus let alone species when they are this size and coloration because there are so many possibilities. It probably is a variation of Ephemerella invaria as they are very common, or possibly even one of the lighter species of Eurylophella. They both can be this general coloration and both have pale legs and speckled tails. The former is supported by the pale yellow pigmentation in the stigmatic region of the forewings and what appears to be a shorter ninth abdominal segment in some of the photos while the latter possibility is supported by the somewhat wider head that is bright yellow dorsally and what appears to be a longer ninth seg. in some of the photos. E. invaria usually hatches later than this, but who knows? This season seems to be upside-down regarding emergence timing.
"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
Crepuscular
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Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920
Crepuscular on Apr 23, 2012April 23rd, 2012, 5:12 pm EDT
Kurt I've seen E. invaria as early as the first week of may in SE PA. I'm not saying that's what this one is for sure and on the other hand I get quite a few Eurylophella from what you would call marginal trout waters and even warm water streams.
Wbranch
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York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Apr 23, 2012April 23rd, 2012, 7:12 pm EDT
Typically on the Delaware watershed E. invaria starts to emerge, in abundance, the third week or April. However this year the waters were seasonably low and much warmer than is normal and I saw blanket emergences on April 07 and 09 and a good emergence on 08. I'm wondering if Crepuscular meant to type "as early as the first week of APRIL in SE PA". I live in York, PA which is pretty much considerd SE PA and I have seen E. invaria on the lower Yellow Breeches, in abundance, as early as the first week in April.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Oldredbarn
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Novi, MI

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on Apr 23, 2012April 23rd, 2012, 7:53 pm EDT
I'm in a bit of a panic here...Tony called the other night and said he was tying sulphers since the Hennies were done in PA...I have sat here for quite some time trying to talk myself out of what I think I see here...It is only late April! Please someone tell me I'm wrong...That this is somehow a hoax. :) If this is indeed invaria, I may have to re-think which boxes I'm taking north this weekend for our opening day...I received a report that maybe things have slowed a bit with the cooling up in Grayling...It would not be the opener here in Michigan if the Hendricksons are done.

I told Tony that he and I are both very lucky to have fly fishing and tying in our lives, especially this spring, since both our hockey teams are taking the rest of this spring off...leaving us to tie, fish, and occasionally cry in our beers. :( So if you happen upon a fellow, either on a PA stream or the old Au Sable and he's sitting on the bank with his head in his hands...Give the man some space. Neither one of us are used to our boys heading home in the first round...OUCH!

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
Crepuscular
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Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920
Crepuscular on Apr 23, 2012April 23rd, 2012, 8:04 pm EDT
Well Spence with the weather we are getting right now can only help us. we need something to slow things down a bit. Seeing as I'm a Habs fan, I'm pretty used to them not being involved at this point...oh long gone are the days of Larry Robinson scoring from the point...anyway I wouldn't be surprised to start seeing sulphurs here any day. But the fishing has been fantastic.
Entoman
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Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Apr 23, 2012April 23rd, 2012, 10:51 pm EDT
Eric & Matt-

Thanks for clarifying the timing - I suspected as much.

Spence -

It sounds like this year you better be ready for anything. Ah! the groans that vest is gonna cause...:)
"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
Wbranch
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York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Apr 24, 2012April 24th, 2012, 1:56 am EDT
I wrote;

"Typically on the Delaware watershed E. invaria starts to emerge, in abundance, the third week or April. However this year the waters were seasonably low and much warmer than is normal and I saw blanket emergences on April 07 and 09 and a good emergence on 08. I'm wondering if Crepuscular meant to type "as early as the first week of APRIL in SE PA". I live in York, PA which is pretty much considerd SE PA and I have seen E. invaria on the lower Yellow Breeches, in abundance, as early as the first week in April."

Eric noticed my error and it should have said "Typically on the Delaware watershed E. SUBVARIA starts to emerge, in abundance, the third week or April."
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Gutcutter
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Pennsylvania

Posts: 470
Gutcutter on Apr 24, 2012April 24th, 2012, 5:22 am EDT
Tony called the other night and said he was tying sulphers since the Hennies were done in PA...


Not "done" completely, but on the streams where I typically fish,the blanket hatches that Matt describes are pretty much over.
There are a few secret spots where they are still around, and these are places with water temps that haven't been as affected by the mild winter.
I believe that there will still be some throughout the normal hatch dates, but not as many.
And, yes, like the E. subvaria, the E. invaria are starting early, too.

When Bruce and I head north later this week, I will have my quill Gordons, blue quills, red quills, Hendricksons, sulfurs, March browns, bwo (all sizes), midges, light and dark grannoms, yellow Sallies and yes, even some green drakes with me.
A far cry from the usual one box of flies I typically carry on this annual trip.
We'll see...
All men who fish may in turn be divided into two parts: those who fish for trout and those who don't. Trout fishermen are a race apart: they are a dedicated crew- indolent, improvident, and quietly mad.

-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
Oldredbarn
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Novi, MI

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on Apr 24, 2012April 24th, 2012, 7:40 am EDT
What ever we run in to astream is a damn sight better than hanging around the house here! :) I just want to wish everyone of you TroutNutters tight lines and a wonderful upcoming fishing season...I'm stoaked! I'm trying to tone down my normal "buck-fever" this time of year...Opening day here in Michigan is Saturday and its going to be crisp out and I will be there with my smile on! :)

I'll find a riser even if I have to lean down and place my hand under his butter colored belly and help him to the surface! :)

If you hear a sonic boom Thursday afternoon sometime, no its not our broke government testing another wasted trillion dollar super-sonic ocean crashing transport, its just Spence letting out a war-cry as he crosses the Crawford County line just south of Grayling!

Saturday evening will be the celebration of the Angler's of the Au Sable's 25th anniversary...This weekend will be more social than actual fishing, but I'll wet the waders and be test driving a Winston BIIIx 4wt...Oh yeah! Tony has already warned me to tread lightly or my wallet will be lighter...A friend of my wife said to her that if you thought seriously about retiring before you retired you were already retired...Tony...Today my wife said, "If you have already thought about this rod, you have already bought it!" :)

Good luck oh brothers of the angle...

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
Taxon
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Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311
Taxon on Apr 27, 2012April 27th, 2012, 12:10 am EDT
Brookyman-

You might want to take a closer look at the hind wing in this blowup of the 3rd photo by Mahones41:



I suspect you will realize that it doesn't resemble a Baetis hind wing, either in shape, or in size. Incidentally, Baetis vagans has been re-classified as Baetis tricaudatus for many years.

Best regards,
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
PaulRoberts
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Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Apr 27, 2012April 27th, 2012, 7:50 am EDT
Things are so early this year! We've been looking at late spring and early summer stuff.

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