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 keys to the Epeorus albertae group of species. Of the five species in that group, the two known in Washington state are Epeorus albertae and Epeorus dulciana. Of the two, albertae has been collected in vastly more locations in Washington than dulciana, suggesting it is far more common. On that basis alone I'm tentatively putting this nymph in albertae, with the large caveat that there's no real information to rule out dulciana.
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Report at a Glance
| General Region | Cranberry Lake, NY |
| Specific Location | Below Dam |
| Dates Fished | 5-28 |
| Time of Day | Evening |
| Fish Caught | Brown trout, some small brookies |
Details and Discussion
FisherOfMen on May 29, 2012May 29th, 2012, 12:12 pm EDT
It seems I have started gaining some fly fishing skill. Yes, its true I have only been catching stocked fish (as far as I can tell), but I have been getting more successful every day at doing so. My dad and I have gone to the river every night for the past three days. I've been catching loads of little guys, and so Rick Kovaks, my fly fishing "mentor" challenged me to brave the rapids in the middle of the river to go after the big guys.
Apparently the small fish are in the slower water, but the really big guys (browns up to 20 inches) are right in the rapids. Last night I found this mid-river "pool" about six feet across and ten feet long.
I fished upriver with a goddard caddis, and the first one I hooked was enormous! I only saw it as it did a sort of side-jump thing for the fly. It had to be at least 18 inches, but snapped my tippet immediately right in the middle where I might have had a knot or something.
Tippet replaced, I tied on an egg-laying caddis and managed to land 4 big guys, all over 14 inches from the same little spot! I lost two more just as I was landing them because I didn't have my net, but I put them all back anyway.
I'm surprised I managed to fool the big guys and it was the most exciting thing to have a fish on that actually had your reel screaming! Being right around some very rapid water it was exhilarating to have them going in and across the rapids, always afraid of losing them with each pass.
Now with a few larger trout under my belt, I think I'm ready to start fishing some more difficult waters. I've had fun fishing where the stocked guys strike on every cast, but its spoiling me and there's much more to fly fishing. I've built up my confidence, and I've gone from the Fly fishing "Idiot" to Fly fishing "Intermediate" level. Bring on the trout!
P.S. And yes, all the bait fisherman (and even some fly fisherman) got skunked again! I love caddisflies :)
Apparently the small fish are in the slower water, but the really big guys (browns up to 20 inches) are right in the rapids. Last night I found this mid-river "pool" about six feet across and ten feet long.
I fished upriver with a goddard caddis, and the first one I hooked was enormous! I only saw it as it did a sort of side-jump thing for the fly. It had to be at least 18 inches, but snapped my tippet immediately right in the middle where I might have had a knot or something.
Tippet replaced, I tied on an egg-laying caddis and managed to land 4 big guys, all over 14 inches from the same little spot! I lost two more just as I was landing them because I didn't have my net, but I put them all back anyway.
I'm surprised I managed to fool the big guys and it was the most exciting thing to have a fish on that actually had your reel screaming! Being right around some very rapid water it was exhilarating to have them going in and across the rapids, always afraid of losing them with each pass.
Now with a few larger trout under my belt, I think I'm ready to start fishing some more difficult waters. I've had fun fishing where the stocked guys strike on every cast, but its spoiling me and there's much more to fly fishing. I've built up my confidence, and I've gone from the Fly fishing "Idiot" to Fly fishing "Intermediate" level. Bring on the trout!
P.S. And yes, all the bait fisherman (and even some fly fisherman) got skunked again! I love caddisflies :)
"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught." -Author Unknown
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke
Adirman on May 29, 2012May 29th, 2012, 12:33 pm EDT
Congrats to you! Nothing wrong with gaining a little confidence cuz trust me, you'll go through plently of fishless days also!!
Martinlf on May 29, 2012May 29th, 2012, 12:34 pm EDT
Great report. Go get 'em!
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
Jesse on May 29, 2012May 29th, 2012, 2:02 pm EDT
I like it man keep it up. Confidence kills baby ha enjoy it.
Most of us fish our whole lives..not knowing its not the fish that we are after.
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com
http://www.filingoflyfishing.com
Oldredbarn on May 29, 2012May 29th, 2012, 6:02 pm EDT
Nick,
Sounds like you are the one hooked here mister...:)
The trick, from where I sit, is that every time out you will learn a little something new and over a lifetime it will add up to something. Most approach the river with a pre-set mind and this can get in the way of the learning. Do your homework before you get to the stream and then let the river and the trout tell you whats going on...I've seen guys slashing the river in to a froth with their favorite pattern only to be told over and over again, "Not tonight mister!" Then, at breakfast, the next morning they complain about how poorly the river fished. When that really wasn't the case.
You are at the beginning of much fun...Confidence can be a big plus but, as someone mentioned above, just when you think you have it all figured out you get spanked...I'm 58 and have fished all my life and its nice to share big fish pictures and success stories, but I'm sitting here obsessing over the fish I was unable to catch this time up...These puzzles are what keeps me heading back to the stream.
Nice story...Your excitement is shared here on TroutNut.
Tightlines!
Spence
Sounds like you are the one hooked here mister...:)
The trick, from where I sit, is that every time out you will learn a little something new and over a lifetime it will add up to something. Most approach the river with a pre-set mind and this can get in the way of the learning. Do your homework before you get to the stream and then let the river and the trout tell you whats going on...I've seen guys slashing the river in to a froth with their favorite pattern only to be told over and over again, "Not tonight mister!" Then, at breakfast, the next morning they complain about how poorly the river fished. When that really wasn't the case.
You are at the beginning of much fun...Confidence can be a big plus but, as someone mentioned above, just when you think you have it all figured out you get spanked...I'm 58 and have fished all my life and its nice to share big fish pictures and success stories, but I'm sitting here obsessing over the fish I was unable to catch this time up...These puzzles are what keeps me heading back to the stream.
Nice story...Your excitement is shared here on TroutNut.
Tightlines!
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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
FisherOfMen on May 29, 2012May 29th, 2012, 6:45 pm EDT
True, Spence. I've been using caddis dries exclusively, and I can see myself getting skunked amidst a ton of mayflies slugging out my best tied goddard caddis ;)
"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught." -Author Unknown
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke
Martinlf on May 30, 2012May 30th, 2012, 1:23 pm EDT
I'm sitting here obsessing over the fish I was unable to catch this time up
Glad to know I'm not the only one, Spence.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
FisherOfMen on Jun 3, 2012June 3rd, 2012, 6:20 am EDT
Yup, it happened Spence. I couldn't catch a single little guy, but a hammered the big guys. Reason is, water speed. I was being too lazy to change to a slow-water caddis...
"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught." -Author Unknown
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke
Oldredbarn on Jun 3, 2012June 3rd, 2012, 6:27 pm EDT
Glad to know I'm not the only one, Spence.
These are the fish and the problems/puzzles that bring me back to the stream Louis...It's nice to catch big or many fish, but being reminded, from time-to-time, that you don't "know" everything keeps me interested. :)
The trouble with getting older is I'm wondering how much I may be forgetting. :) It's going in one ear and out the other.
I suppose Louis that you and I could find something to worry about that would be more important, in the big scheme of things, but no where as much fun, me thinks.
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
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
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