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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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
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.
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.

Tyro
illinois

Posts: 14
Tyro on Jan 8, 2014January 8th, 2014, 1:26 pm EST
I'm an older fisherman who inherited a Wright McGill "Granger" (#6590) 9' fly rod from my father-in-laws father and am eager to learn the art of fly casting for trout. I understand that rod, reel, line, etc. needs to be a balanced combo, but am unsure what weight reel and line would go well with this rod. Can anyone offer some suggestions?

Thanks
Troutnut
Troutnut's profile picture
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Jan 8, 2014January 8th, 2014, 3:58 pm EST
It doesn't look like that's a model they're making anymore, and it's a fairly specialized question, so I would suggest contacting the manufacturer directly (here's their contact information) to ask about that particular rod. You're correct that the reel and line need to be appropriate for the rod.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Entoman
Entoman's profile picture
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Jan 8, 2014January 8th, 2014, 5:27 pm EST
Welcome to the forum!

Don't fish with that rod until you've had it looked at! Based on your age and the fact it came from somebody of your grandfathers generation, I'm assuming it may have substantial collectible value. The rod is named after one of the old masters, Goodwin Granger. He was affiliated with W&M for awhile and produced rods for them. If I remember my history, they were modestly priced rods of decent workmanship but made of inferior bamboo. Frankly, not the best outfit to learn with even if it turns out to be less valuable than I assume.

BTW - look for a designation on the rod showing three letters together like "HCH." That was how lines were designated before AFTMA when all lines were made of silk. They will tell the proper line match for your rod. From there you'd be able to determine a matching reel.

Best,
"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
Tyro
illinois

Posts: 14
Tyro on Jan 9, 2014January 9th, 2014, 4:19 am EST
Thanks, Guys

I've emailed Eagle already but haven't gotten a reply yet about the rod. I'll probably call them in the next day or so.

Entoman,

I should have mentioned that the rod I've inherited is fiberglass. I'll look more closely to see if I can find a line designation.

Thanks again and I'm sure I'll have more questions.
Falsifly
Falsifly's profile picture
Hayward, WI.

Posts: 660
Falsifly on Jan 9, 2014January 9th, 2014, 4:48 am EST
Falsifly
When asked what I just caught that monster on I showed him. He put on his magnifiers and said, "I can't believe they can see that."
Entoman
Entoman's profile picture
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Jan 9, 2014January 9th, 2014, 12:06 pm EST
Thanks, Al. Had forgotten the Phillipson connection. He later went on to build fiberglass rods under his own name. They were arguably the best on the market in that material. I owned a couple back in the early 70's that were pretty sweet.
"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
Tyro
illinois

Posts: 14
Tyro on Jan 9, 2014January 9th, 2014, 12:52 pm EST
Thanks, Gentlemen

An interesting history lesson. I finally talked with Wright & McGill and was told that my rod was produced in 1951 and that it is a 4-5 wt.
Tyro
illinois

Posts: 14
Tyro on Jan 10, 2014January 10th, 2014, 3:58 am EST
Now I need to choose a reel. I'm looking at the Orvis Encounter 11 large arbor for 50 bucks. Anybody out there have any thoughts on how this reel would function for a beginner fly fisherman?
Falsifly
Falsifly's profile picture
Hayward, WI.

Posts: 660
Falsifly on Jan 10, 2014January 10th, 2014, 4:34 am EST
Tyro,I don't know that this consideration would necessarily be a problem but you may want to check the reel fit to the rod real seat.
Falsifly
When asked what I just caught that monster on I showed him. He put on his magnifiers and said, "I can't believe they can see that."
Tyro
illinois

Posts: 14
Tyro on Jan 12, 2014January 12th, 2014, 11:44 am EST
Thanks, Falsify
I talked with Orvis and got the the reel's foot dimensions, which will work fine with my rod's reel seat.

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