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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.
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It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.
I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.
The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.
Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.
The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.
Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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Report at a Glance
| General Region | Ozark mountains |
| Specific Location | Current River |
| Dates Fished | 8/31 |
| Time of Day | Pretty much all day....little gap in the afternoon when it was too hot |
| Fish Caught | stocked rainbow trout |
| Conditions & Hatches | Very hot-morning temperature in 80s, but quickly rose up in the mid to high 90s range. Some morning tricos but that was about it in the hatch department, and few fish rising to them anyway. Water temp-didn't take it but it is always in the high 50s to low 60s |
Details and Discussion
Motrout on Sep 2, 2013September 2nd, 2013, 5:42 pm EDT
I got out this weekend on the upper Current River. Now Labor Day weekend is not the best time to hit the Current because it fills up with floaters something beyond what you would believe, and they are not for the most part well behaved either. So for the most we fished within Montauk State Park where floating is banned to get away from the party crowd. Montauk is blessed with a long fly fishing only area and even some catch and release water. As you may guess fly fishing is not so popular in Missouri, so this allows one to have a good time and have good chunks of water to yourself even on summer weekends.
I started in the fly fishing only section of Montauk State Park Saturday morning. Fishing does not open until 7 AM, so it was full light by the time I was able to start casting. But it was well worth the wait. The fly water was lightly fished at that early hour, and I had my pick of the abundant bouldery pocket water it had to offer. Nymphing produced well for the rainbows as it always does.
After a good while fishing the waters of Montauk Park, we did (very) briefly make it down to the main river, more to take in the scenery and get a few pictures than to fish honestly. This is a place we love to fish in fall, winter, and spring. We went to an access in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways along the Current's blue ribbon trout section. This section is prime brown trout water. It holds up fine during the summer but it just doesn't have the same feel. We did scare up a few browns but the heat was terrible for both man and fish and we did not even give it an honest effort.
After that we did make it back up into the fly water of the park for the evening bite. The section we fished earlier that day was the extreme upper reaches of the Current River. The stretch we fished in the evening is actually a small, short spring branch tributary. This water has the benefit of also being catch and release only. The fish are larger and more plentiful here than anywhere else, which is saying something. It looks and fishes like a classic chalk stream, but these are stocked fish which does take away a certain part of the ambiance. The fishing was pretty good though, and the country is pretty. I'll let the pictures tell the rest.
I started in the fly fishing only section of Montauk State Park Saturday morning. Fishing does not open until 7 AM, so it was full light by the time I was able to start casting. But it was well worth the wait. The fly water was lightly fished at that early hour, and I had my pick of the abundant bouldery pocket water it had to offer. Nymphing produced well for the rainbows as it always does.
After a good while fishing the waters of Montauk Park, we did (very) briefly make it down to the main river, more to take in the scenery and get a few pictures than to fish honestly. This is a place we love to fish in fall, winter, and spring. We went to an access in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways along the Current's blue ribbon trout section. This section is prime brown trout water. It holds up fine during the summer but it just doesn't have the same feel. We did scare up a few browns but the heat was terrible for both man and fish and we did not even give it an honest effort.
After that we did make it back up into the fly water of the park for the evening bite. The section we fished earlier that day was the extreme upper reaches of the Current River. The stretch we fished in the evening is actually a small, short spring branch tributary. This water has the benefit of also being catch and release only. The fish are larger and more plentiful here than anywhere else, which is saying something. It looks and fishes like a classic chalk stream, but these are stocked fish which does take away a certain part of the ambiance. The fishing was pretty good though, and the country is pretty. I'll let the pictures tell the rest.
"I don't know what fly fishing teaches us, but I think it's something we need to know."-John Gierach
http://fishingintheozarks.blogspot.com/
http://fishingintheozarks.blogspot.com/
Taxon on Sep 2, 2013September 2nd, 2013, 6:15 pm EDT
Very nice, Motrout. Thanks for sharing.
Motrout on Sep 2, 2013September 2nd, 2013, 6:30 pm EDT
No problem, thanks.
"I don't know what fly fishing teaches us, but I think it's something we need to know."-John Gierach
http://fishingintheozarks.blogspot.com/
http://fishingintheozarks.blogspot.com/
Jmd123 on Sep 2, 2013September 2nd, 2013, 8:12 pm EDT
Hey MO, been through some of that area and it is BEAUTIFUL. Plenty of trout to be had, but you're right, this isn't the time of the year for MO's trout waters, unless you can find some spring-fed reaches without bait fisherman (Crane Creek, been there and it's lovely with wild rainbows, catch & release only!). When you get back there during cooler weather, show us some fishies from the Ozarks! I've been posting pics lately because almost no one else has and I know everyone's been doing at least SOME fishing!
Thanks for the memories!
Jonathon
Thanks for the memories!
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Motrout on Sep 3, 2013September 3rd, 2013, 4:55 am EDT
When it gets cooler I plan to post some reports from our wild trout creeks. That's where my heart truly lies but 95 degree weather is not the time. October is usually one of the best months to fish them so hopefully I'll get on a few then!
"I don't know what fly fishing teaches us, but I think it's something we need to know."-John Gierach
http://fishingintheozarks.blogspot.com/
http://fishingintheozarks.blogspot.com/
Feathers5
Posts: 287
Posts: 287
Feathers5 on Sep 3, 2013September 3rd, 2013, 6:14 am EDT
Thanks for the report. I get a kick out of seeing waters I'll probably read about and never get to fish.
Crepuscular on Sep 3, 2013September 3rd, 2013, 6:15 am EDT
Nice
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