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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Onocosmoecus (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Onocosmoecus (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Lateral view of a Onocosmoecus (Limnephilidae) (Great Late-Summer Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This specimen keys pretty easily to Onocosmoecus, and it closely resembles a specimen from Alaska which caddis expert Dave Ruiter recognized as this genus. As with that specimen, the only species in the genus documented in this area is Onocosmoecus unicolor, but Dave suggested for that specimen that there might be multiple not-yet-distinguished species under the unicolor umbrella and it would be best to stick with the genus-level ID. I'm doing the same for this one.

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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.

Northern Delaware River - Hellgramite Goldmine

This topic is about the Hellgrammite Genus Corydalus

The largest and most well-known hellgrammites belong to this genus, although in my collecting experiences the fishflies of Nigronia seem to be more common in trout streams.

Example specimen

27
Corydalus (Dobsonfly) Hellgrammite Larva

Large hellgrammite (dobsonfly larva). This nearly two inch long larva from the genus Corydalus is a fearsome predator

Dorsal view of a Corydalus (Corydalidae) (Dobsonfly) Hellgrammite Larva from Paradise Creek in Pennsylvania

Yemoss
Posts: 1

Yemoss on May 29, 2007May 29th, 2007, 6:02 pm EDT

Far from a fly-fisherman, I still wanted to identify a menacing- looking insect which invaded our late-night campfire council this past Memorial Day Weekend in Millford, PA on the Delaware River (cr 206 n). We stayed at Kittatiny Canoe Campgrounds, very commercial, but made the best of it. The amount of these bugs crawling around at night, lured by our glowing fire, was incredible. Today I identified them as Hellgramites, and also learned that they are prized by bass and trout. Didn't even think to bring a pole with the short weekend - we went rafting instead. Still wanted to inform fellow fisherman of the abundance and location of this critter. Important to note that our sites bordered the river - one website I read indicated that Hellgramites won't go more than 50 yards inland from their water source; I'm not sure if that's common to most aquatic species but I'd imagine so.

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Jul 22, 2007July 22nd, 2007, 4:04 am EDT

I think the adult, winged insect, is called a Dobson Fly. They seem attracted to light and fly around in the night and can scare the heck out of you as they have big wings and pincers.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681

GONZO on Jul 22, 2007July 22nd, 2007, 4:21 am EDT

...one website I read said that Hellgrammites won't go more than 50 yards inland from their water source....

Yemoss, that may have been referring to the travels of the Dobsonfly larvae (hellgrammites); they pupate terrestrially. Many adult aquatic insects are attracted to lights, often quite some distance from stream or lake.