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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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.

I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.

The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.

Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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.
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Wbranch has attached these 3 pictures. The message is below.
From the left down; most of row 2, all of row 3 & 4 and seven flies in row 5 have loop spun thoraxes.
From the top down; five flies in row #3 have loop spun thoraxes, the two flies on the left in row #4, the first five flies on the left of row #6, and the first three black stones ion the left in row #7. The other three have black Estaz thoraxes.  The legs of the first three of row #7 are black Krystal Flash.
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Apr 24, 2012April 24th, 2012, 6:49 pm EDT
Since I've never been able to solve the problem as to why the pics I UL to my posts show up only as thumbnail size I have to use this section to show my pics.

This pics are related to the thread about "the dubbing debate2: to spin or loop"

Many of the thoraxes on these nymphs was created with a dubbing loop.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Entoman
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Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Apr 24, 2012April 24th, 2012, 9:19 pm EDT
I like, Matt. Very nice!
"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
Jesse
Jesse's profile picture
Posts: 378
Jesse on Apr 25, 2012April 25th, 2012, 5:58 am EDT
Good looking my man time to go wack'um an stack'um!
Most of us fish our whole lives..not knowing its not the fish that we are after.
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com
PaulRoberts
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Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Apr 25, 2012April 25th, 2012, 7:11 am EDT
Awesome.
Orn
.

Posts: 29
Orn on Apr 25, 2012April 25th, 2012, 11:49 am EDT
Fantastic looking nymphs, will definitely catch fish!
.
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Apr 25, 2012April 25th, 2012, 3:06 pm EDT
Thanks guys! Jesse I might have pretty nymphs but I no longer nymph for trout, in the traditional sense. Where I fish in the East and when I go to MT in July, there is no need to ever consider nymphing. All those nymphs and about three other fly boxes were tied pretty much just for Great Lakes creeks and steelhead.

I do sometimes trail a little #18 BH on a piece of 5X about 6" long behind my dry in MT.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Softhackle
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Wellsville, NY

Posts: 540
Softhackle on Apr 25, 2012April 25th, 2012, 3:19 pm EDT
These are wonderfully done.

Mark
"I have the highest respect for the skilled wet-fly fisherman, as he has mastered an art of very great difficulty." Edward R. Hewitt

Flymphs, Soft-hackles and Spiders: http://www.troutnut.com/libstudio/FS&S/index.html
Martinlf
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Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Jan 8, 2013January 8th, 2013, 3:17 pm EST
Some cool flies for winter tiers to consider.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Roguerat
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Posts: 456
Roguerat on Jan 10, 2013January 10th, 2013, 12:26 pm EST
Wbranch-

GREAT looking flies! This gives me inspiration to go back to the bench and improve my skills.

The Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 'Cast your cares upon Him...'
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Jan 10, 2013January 10th, 2013, 1:05 pm EST
Roguerat,

"GREAT looking flies!"

Thank you Sir!

I started tying again on Monday. I reviewed all my Catskill & Montana boxes, well over 4,000 flies, and decided that other than a dozen caddis pupa and some PMD emergers I really don't need to tie any more flies. However I probably will tie another 200 or so by the end of March just to keep busy during the day.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Roguerat
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Posts: 456
Roguerat on Jan 10, 2013January 10th, 2013, 1:15 pm EST
Wbranch-

I've only been tying small flies for 4 years now, before that I was 100% bass-bugs and Pike flies...Dahlberg Divers, Hair-poppers and all.

I figure my learning curve is still headed 'up' and your description of materials, techniques, and the close-up pics are a great tutorial.

The Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 'Cast your cares upon Him...'
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Jan 10, 2013January 10th, 2013, 2:33 pm EST
Roguerat,

If you want any specifics about those flies, dubbing loop bodies, or most any fly tying question PM me and I'll try and answer it for you.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
JOHNW
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Chambersburg, PA

Posts: 452
JOHNW on Jan 15, 2013January 15th, 2013, 10:50 am EST
As always beautiful flies Matt!
I surprised some of your boxes haven't "accidentally" gotten mixed in with Louis' gear. ;)

JW
"old habits are hard to kill once you have gray in your beard" -Old Red Barn
Martinlf
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Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Jan 15, 2013January 15th, 2013, 2:52 pm EST
And this veiled accusation comes from a guy who still has my neoprene half finger gloves from last April. Hmmm.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Jan 15, 2013January 15th, 2013, 3:47 pm EST
I've been sworn to secrecy.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

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