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.

Here Oksrukuyik Creek flows away from the Dalton Highway toward the pipeline. It eventually grows into one of the major rivers of the North Slope, and the main drainage to the west of the Sag, but where it crosses the road it's just a small grayling stream.

From Oksrukuyik Creek in Alaska

Stream photos

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Ephemerella mucronata Mayfly Nymph Ephemerella mucronata Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella mucronata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.

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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.

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august wisconsin hatches?

Ike
MN

Posts: 14

Ike on Aug 15, 2012August 15th, 2012, 5:39 am EDT

I'm fairly new to fly fishing and tying with only 5 trips under my belt and around 3 months worth of flies. in the next few days I'm going to be fishing the rush and kinnikinnick rivers. I was wondering if anyone had any information on hatches going on this time of year or any other advice that might help me make this trip a success. Id be truly appreciative of any help.

PaulRoberts

Colorado

Posts: 1776

PaulRoberts on Aug 15, 2012August 15th, 2012, 8:14 am EDT

I'm sure someone will pipe in. In the meantime, you can Google "hatch charts" or "emergence tables" and rivers in your area and probably come up with some.

Ike
MN

Posts: 14

Ike on Aug 15, 2012August 15th, 2012, 11:23 am EDT

thanks! i was thinking possibly tricos in the morning and terrestrials later in the day. just wondering if anyone could confirm or correct that. otherwise hopefully that will produce some fish.