Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York

Blue-winged Olives
Baetis

Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.

I like this one. Glacial river, taiga, tundra, and the perpetual ice cover of a massive high ridge dozens of miles away in the Wrangell Mountains.

From the Copper River in Alaska

Stream photos

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Epeorus albertae (Pink Lady) Mayfly Nymph Epeorus albertae (Pink Lady) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Epeorus albertae (Heptageniidae) (Pink Lady) Mayfly Nymph from the East Fork Issaquah Creek in Washington

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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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.

Hellgrammite hell

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

Sprattoo
Buxton, Maine

Posts: 1

Sprattoo on Jun 5, 2007June 5th, 2007, 7:07 am EDT

The First time I saw one of these things was as a kid. We were playing around a woolen mill in old Kezar Falls Maine.
Turning over a damp old pile of wool revealed a number of adult Hellgrammites. At the age of 12 or 13 these were the scariest things I had ever seen.... still very intimidating. I remember trying to get them to bite sticks and my shoe... which they happily did once I started poking them.

Now at the age of thirty *mumble mumble* This insect has come into my life again.
After opening my little tackleshop and selling flies and gear for about a year, it was an embarrassment that I couldn't catch the Browns surfacing all over the place down on the river.
I finally got one by accident, cut open its belly and found... thats right... A dobsonfly nymph.
Although I believe they were really feeding on dragonfly or damselfly nymphs (as they were chasing and feeding near the top)
The story of my trouts belly told a different tale.

Some time at the tying bench, with a few pieces of yarn and marabou and now those old browns are no problem at all!

www.sprattoo.com

Wiflyfisher

Wisconsin

Posts: 622

Wiflyfisher on Jun 5, 2007June 5th, 2007, 11:40 am EDT

I have witnessed at certain times of the year on certain stretches of some of my favorite Midwestern waters that trout are keyed in on hellgrammites. A good imitation at those times can get some awesome strikes from big trout. I am always amazed at these times how many hellgrammites the trout can inhale and still want more!

My own conclusion was at certain times the hellgrammites must expose themselves and get caught in the currents. Trout hiding behind rocks and alongside current tongues are gorging themselves on these large, helpless drifting morsels. A sudden dash and strike to a weighted marabou wooly bugger can really make the pain of casting these things worth while.

John S.
https://WiFlyFisher.com