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.

Lone tree on a rock in the middle of Big Lake. Fittingly, Big Lake is the largest of several short wide spots in the upper Brule River.

From the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

Stream photos

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Limnephilus (Summer Flier Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Limnephilus (Summer Flier Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Case view of a Limnephilus (Limnephilidae) (Summer Flier Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

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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.

Trico Spinner, as requested, Page 2

Gutcutter has attached these 13 pictures. The message is below.

A "generic" synthetic spinner. 2488 hook size 20.
My current favorite synthetic wing material - EP Fibers

A fly for really flat water. The "McFly Foam" wing is almost transluscent when wet. Difficult to see on broken water. It does't float well after a dunking unless it is dried on a bandana, paper towel, your shirt, spare toilet paper or whatever you have handy. But it is worth the effort on those really picky ones...
2488 hook size 22.

CDC wing floats like a cork. 2488 hook, size 20. A great fly in a riffle, or the head of a pool. Shawn will love the fact that there is no synthetic material in this fly.

Sunken spinner. The abdomen is UTC wire, and the wings are Krystal Flash. 2488 size 24.
Shawn will hate the fact that there are no natural materials in this fly.

Reverse Hacklestacker. Since I taught Lastchance how to tie this, I no longer have an advantage!
2488 size 22. Whiting size 20 grizzly hackle.
My best all around trico pattern. Works during the entire hatch. Often I'll have a male on the 3 weight (size 22 2488) and a female size 20 2488 on the bamboo 4 weight

I can't take credit for this one. Louis tied this, and I stole it from his box. An upside down "compara-hackle" trico dun/spinner. I believe this is tied on the Varivas 2300 hook. I hope that he comments on the materials used. I stole two of them, and the other is in the jaw of a fat 16" brown. Very delicate and a great fly on really pressured fish.

Traffic-Jam Cluster fly. Tied on a # 16 standard dry fly hook. White mini "Ultra Chenille" and size 14 Whiting grizzly hackle.

Can you tell that I'm getting ready for Montana in a month?

Our favorite secret trico water. Lastchance has caught and released that thousand pounder in the foreground on the left twice! He even tagged her ear after the first release.
In this photo, he is stalking the bank feeder on the right.

Is there anything better than tricos, 7x, bamboo and wild browns? Add Bruce, Goose, Lastchance, Feathers5 into the mix, and it's always a great time!

Feathers5
Posts: 287

Feathers5 on Mar 8, 2013March 8th, 2013, 3:07 am EST

Reverse style tying will neutralize water turbidity and laminar flow rate. The equation is:

water current = mass flow
laminar turbidity = density of mass

therefore:

meniscus (surface tension) divided by benthic thrust = degree of fly angle
or;
reverse style fly.

This method allows the reverse style fly to maintain strike zone posture for longer periods.

Bruce, Lastchance, Goose, etc. etc.

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Mar 8, 2013March 8th, 2013, 5:31 am EST

"Reverse style tying will neutralize water turbidity and laminar flow rate. The equation is:

water current = mass flow
laminar turbidity = density of mass

therefore:

meniscus (surface tension) divided by benthic thrust = degree of fly angle
or;
reverse style fly.

This method allows the reverse style fly to maintain strike zone posture for longer periods."

Now that's want I wanted to hear! Solid scientific evidence about why I should start tying reverse style Tricos. I think I'll put all my traditionally tied dry flies up for sale and re-tie all my flies in reverse. Thank you for this illuminating post!

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Sayfu
Posts: 560

Sayfu on Mar 8, 2013March 8th, 2013, 5:58 am EST

Holy laminar turbidity batman! We are out here in the wild competing with these kinda thinkers?! Let's take up basket weaving.

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on Mar 8, 2013March 8th, 2013, 10:28 am EST

Competent basket weaving requires a substantial understanding of and eye for complex geometric principles.:)

"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

Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920

Crepuscular on Mar 8, 2013March 8th, 2013, 10:33 am EST

Competent basket weaving requires a substantial understanding of and eye for complex geometric principles.:)

And "benthic thrust"

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on Mar 8, 2013March 8th, 2013, 10:43 am EST

Yes, A lot of the content in this thread could be described as the result of "benthic thrust." LOL

"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

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Mar 8, 2013March 8th, 2013, 10:59 am EST

"And "benthic thrust"

Is that at all akin to pelvic thrust?

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on Mar 8, 2013March 8th, 2013, 11:08 am EST

Well, benthic does mean "bottom" so I had in mind the buttocks' role in the biological digestive process. Otherwise known as BBDP or by its abbreviated acronym BS.

"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

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Mar 8, 2013March 8th, 2013, 12:07 pm EST

Well all I know is that tomorrow around 9:30 a.m. I'll be stepping into a cold runnng trout stream and flipping out a few feathered morsels to tempt the trout. We have all been landlocked way too long and it's about time to get into those waders again.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on Mar 8, 2013March 8th, 2013, 2:10 pm EST

Great plan, Matt. Let us know how you do.

"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

Feathers5
Posts: 287

Feathers5 on Mar 11, 2013March 11th, 2013, 5:24 am EDT

Although I found very few risers on Saturday my practice of "Benthic Thrust" played a key role on one I snagged on a dry fly. Keeping in mind that benthic thrust will neutralize the laminar flow flate, I made a thrust at the 2 PM position, thus fooling a nice brown on my first attempt. A key member of this site witnessed the biological fishing gem.
Bruce

Crepuscular

Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920

Crepuscular on Mar 11, 2013March 11th, 2013, 5:50 am EDT

I may not be that key member, but I was a witness and I must admit that it was the perfect execution of Benthic Thrust! It would give it a perfect 10 out of 10. That fish never had a chance...but I think that it may have had low self esteem.

Oldredbarn

Novi, MI

Posts: 2600

Oldredbarn on Mar 11, 2013March 11th, 2013, 6:17 am EDT

Well all I know is that tomorrow around 9:30 a.m. I'll be stepping into a cold runnng trout stream and flipping out a few feathered morsels to tempt the trout. We have all been landlocked way too long and it's about time to get into those waders again.

Amen Matt!!! Lets get this party started...

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

Martinlf

Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047

Martinlf on Aug 12, 2013August 12th, 2013, 4:51 pm EDT

Some trico patterns here. Start on page 1.

Some good great silly fun on the last page.

"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell

Martinlf

Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047

Martinlf on Jul 31, 2020July 31st, 2020, 6:17 am EDT

OK, Mike here is the thread with the photos. My upside down spinner, posted by Tony, is also based on Al's Trico, and I pull it out for really picky fish. Sometimes I tie it reverse style and leave off the tails One of these got me a very picky fish in a stretch that is pounded almost daily a few weeks back.

"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell

Partsman

bancroft michigan

Posts: 321

Partsman on Aug 5, 2020August 5th, 2020, 10:50 am EDT

Wonderful! Love the banter also. I have tied up a few of Al's trico and Im heading up in the very pre-dawn, I think I like this fishing more than the rest, and yes I would love to have bamboo rod for this, maybe next year? We shall see. Thanks again, I had some good chuckles with this!
Mike.