Header image
Enter a name
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.

Lateral view of a Psychodidae True Fly Larva from Mystery Creek #308 in Washington
This wild-looking little thing completely puzzled me. At first I was thinking beetle or month larva, until I got a look at the pictures on the computer screen. I made a couple of incorrect guesses before entomologist Greg Courtney pointed me in the right direction with Psychodidae. He suggested a possible genus of Thornburghiella, but could not rule out some other members of the tribe Pericomini.
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.

Mcjames
Cortland Manor, NY

Posts: 139
Mcjames on Jul 5, 2007July 5th, 2007, 3:26 am EDT
last year I collected a caddis larva with a case constructed of small twigs. I "evicted" the worm, varnished the case, and glued it to a weighted hook with an imitation of the peeking caddis head. question: is this legal and/or ethical? or will using this fly make me a bait fisherman? I havent had the chance to try it yet.
I am haunted by waters
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Jul 5, 2007July 5th, 2007, 4:51 am EDT
question: is this legal and/or ethical?

James, as long as collecting the larva was legal, the question of fishing the case as part of an imitation would depend upon where you fish. On some special regulation waters it might not meet the legal critera for a "fly" and on others it probably would. As for the ethical part, I'll leave that entirely for you to decide. Many have used this approach to imitating cased larvae before, but I've never heard much about the effectiveness of the resulting "fly."
IEatimago
Spring Mills, PA

Posts: 97
IEatimago on Jul 5, 2007July 5th, 2007, 10:43 am EDT
is it common for it to be illegal to collect insects?
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Jul 5, 2007July 5th, 2007, 10:49 am EDT
I haven't read the NYS regulations recently, but here in PA, aquatic larvae are considered "fishbait" and are limited to 50/day. On many of our special regulation streams, collection is not legal.
IEatimago
Spring Mills, PA

Posts: 97
IEatimago on Jul 5, 2007July 5th, 2007, 2:18 pm EDT
good to know.
i will have to find if its legal in my local water's
GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on Jul 5, 2007July 5th, 2007, 2:26 pm EDT
I wouldn't sweat it too much, Jasen. Unless you're regularly seining hundreds of them and planning to set up a streamside baitstand, you're probably fine. I would avoid collecting in special reg. areas restricted to flies and lures though.

Quick Reply

Related Discussions

Topic
Replies
Last Reply
6
Jun 10, 2007
by Invicta
5
Apr 18, 2009
by GONZO
Troutnut.com is copyright © 2004-2024 (email Jason). privacy policy