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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.

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.
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Report at a Glance

General RegionCatskills
Specific LocationEsopus Creek
Dates FishedJuly 1 2007
Time of DayMorning til Noon
Fish CaughtA few Browns

Details and Discussion

Flyfisher06
argyle ny near saratoga

Posts: 48
Flyfisher06 on Jul 1, 2007July 1st, 2007, 9:57 am EDT
IF I am not flyfishing or bird hunting I must be doing something bad like working !!
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Jul 1, 2007July 1st, 2007, 10:26 am EDT
Todd,
Where were you on the Esopus? If you were below the Portal, how was the color of the water? That stream used to be a summertime favorite of mine, and I keep hoping for word that it is recovering. The fact that you report browns rather than the wild rainbows for which it was once famous makes me wonder how that recovery is going.

Best,
Lloyd
Flyfisher06
argyle ny near saratoga

Posts: 48
Flyfisher06 on Jul 1, 2007July 1st, 2007, 1:59 pm EDT
Lloyd,the water was very clear a bit of a bluish green hue we caught some browns that seemed kind of wild with much brighter coloration than i am used to and they fought hard and my son landed one about 14 inches that even took a few leaps out of the water I landed a small wild rainbow and fought a few other rainbows until I lost them we fished both above and below the portal and I cant wait to get back I hope that helps you Lloyd
hope to see you there Todd
IF I am not flyfishing or bird hunting I must be doing something bad like working !!
Flyfisher06
argyle ny near saratoga

Posts: 48
Flyfisher06 on Jul 1, 2007July 1st, 2007, 2:01 pm EDT
Oh almost forgot took a few pics I am working on trying to figure out how to upload them
IF I am not flyfishing or bird hunting I must be doing something bad like working !!
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Jul 1, 2007July 1st, 2007, 2:55 pm EDT
Thanks, Todd. The wild rainbows and "bluish green" water are both very encouraging signs. The last time I fished the Esopus, the water was dirt-brown and thick with silt below the Portal. Here's hoping it will recover its status as one of the most productive wild trout streams in the East. And I'm not surprised that you had some trouble landing a few of the rainbows--even the small ones always fought like demons.
Flyfisher06
argyle ny near saratoga

Posts: 48
Flyfisher06 on Jul 1, 2007July 1st, 2007, 6:02 pm EDT
hey gonzo if you plan on going to try it yourself let me know its 2and1/2 hours from me maybe I can meet you
IF I am not flyfishing or bird hunting I must be doing something bad like working !!
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Jul 2, 2007July 2nd, 2007, 6:25 am EDT
Will do, Todd. I've avoided the Esopus for many years because I couldn't bear to be disappointed by a stream that held such fond memories, but your eagerness to return has prompted a similar longing in me. I'll contact you later in the month, and perhaps we can set something up.

Best,
Lloyd
Mcjames
Cortland Manor, NY

Posts: 139
Mcjames on Jul 3, 2007July 3rd, 2007, 2:23 am EDT
FYI sneaking up to Neversink tomorrow and I talked to a proprietor of one of the Catskill fly shops who said the Esopus is experiencing best fishing of past 5 years
I am haunted by waters
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Jul 3, 2007July 3rd, 2007, 3:33 am EDT
Hi James,
Thanks for confirming that the Esopus is improving; that's very good news indeed. Have you heard if the hatches are recovering as well? There used to be especially good sulphur and slate drake hatches.
Mcjames
Cortland Manor, NY

Posts: 139
Mcjames on Jul 3, 2007July 3rd, 2007, 3:53 am EDT
no I didnt think to ask but here is what he has on his website:

The Esopus is now in good shape. Hatches have been mainly Isonychias, Caddis and some Sulphers (sic!).

http://www.catskillflies.com/stream.html
I am haunted by waters
Flyfisher06
argyle ny near saratoga

Posts: 48
Flyfisher06 on Jul 3, 2007July 3rd, 2007, 11:17 am EDT
hey james how long are you going to be there for I am home alone this week and maybe i would come down by the way my son and I left the river at1pm sunday and there was already a good drake and sulfur hatch beginning we really didnt want to leave but we had to todd
IF I am not flyfishing or bird hunting I must be doing something bad like working !!
Mcjames
Cortland Manor, NY

Posts: 139
Mcjames on Jul 5, 2007July 5th, 2007, 2:42 am EDT
hi todd spent the day yesterday (july 4) on the neversink I'll post in "reports"
I am haunted by waters

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