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.
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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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Flyflinger on Feb 23, 2015February 23rd, 2015, 8:24 am EST
A US retailer who places orders with Veniard just told me a Veniard rep said Pearsall plans to discontinue the manufacturing of its Gossamer silk thread. Has anyone heard this preposterous rumor? I just can't imagine Pearsall stopping production after it has been do so since the 18th century.
Wbranch on Feb 23, 2015February 23rd, 2015, 8:58 am EST
Stranger things have happened! The Gudebrod company who made threads, tinsels, and other millinery products, that many used for fly tying, went out of business about two years ago and they were in business about 118 years. Isn't the Gossamer silk thread used primarily for salmon flies and soft hackles? Maybe Pearsall feels that the product is no longer a money maker.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Flyflinger on Mar 5, 2015March 5th, 2015, 12:31 am EST
I have an update to the rumor that Pearsall's Gossamer silk and perhaps Marabou will no longer be made. An Illinois fly shop quoted to me from the Veniard 2014 catalog that Pearsall will no longer make the silk threads. A PA fly shop retailer noted that Hareline appears to be selling Pearsall silk products but at a much higher price. I hope Hareline is not setting itself up as the sole distributor for Pearsall products and jacking up the prices. I am still checking with retailers I normally deal with.
I am still searching for three colors, Pearsall's Gossamer Orange 6A, Blue 6 and Blue 7. Nobody seems to have it.
I am still searching for three colors, Pearsall's Gossamer Orange 6A, Blue 6 and Blue 7. Nobody seems to have it.
Martinlf on Mar 5, 2015March 5th, 2015, 6:55 am EST
Dette Trout Flies may have the Orange/Gold 6A. 607-498-4991.
https://www.detteflies.com/node
https://www.detteflies.com/node
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
Oldredbarn on Mar 5, 2015March 5th, 2015, 1:55 pm EST
You know Lewis, they may have a trustworthy answer in terms of this rumor being true or not.
Spence
Spence
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Flyflinger on Mar 6, 2015March 6th, 2015, 3:05 am EST
Louis, I didn't see specifically orange 6A, but I did see gold 6A. I'll give the shop a call to see whether that color and blue 6 or 7 and mulberry can be ordered. Also, I believe Dette Trout Flies can provide info on the availability of Pearsall's Gossamer silk thread.
Planettrout on Mar 6, 2015March 6th, 2015, 5:21 am EST
Why not Email them and ask directly:
http://www.pearsallsembroidery.com/contact_us.php
...and here are three locations that probably have some:
http://www.jsflyfishing.com/pearsall-gossamer-silk-thread
http://greatfeathers.com/thread-floss-wire/threads/pearsalls-gossamer.aspx
http://www.caddisflyshop.com/pearsalls-gossamer-silk-thread.html
PT/TB
http://www.pearsallsembroidery.com/contact_us.php
...and here are three locations that probably have some:
http://www.jsflyfishing.com/pearsall-gossamer-silk-thread
http://greatfeathers.com/thread-floss-wire/threads/pearsalls-gossamer.aspx
http://www.caddisflyshop.com/pearsalls-gossamer-silk-thread.html
PT/TB
Daughter to Father: "How many arms do you have, how many fly rods do you need?"
http://planettrout.wordpress.com/
http://planettrout.wordpress.com/
Martinlf on Mar 6, 2015March 6th, 2015, 6:16 am EST
It seems some list 6A as orange, some as gold, some as orange/gold. They may all be the same thing, but it wouldn't hurt to ask someone more familiar with the thread just to be sure.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
Wbranch on Mar 6, 2015March 6th, 2015, 6:41 am EST
I had three spools of Pearsall's silk thread. Two orange and one light yellow. I never used them and just threw them out a few days ago.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
MiltRPowell
Posts: 106
Posts: 106
MiltRPowell on Mar 6, 2015March 6th, 2015, 9:26 am EST
Wow, I always thought another mans trash, could be another mans treasure....
flyfishingthecreekM.R.P.
Wbranch on Mar 6, 2015March 6th, 2015, 10:16 am EST
How about that huh?
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
MiltRPowell
Posts: 106
Posts: 106
MiltRPowell on Mar 6, 2015March 6th, 2015, 10:41 am EST
Ah, just a shame that's all. I think today we throw to much out that could be of good to others. Next time you could put it on somewhere here, you'd have 1/2 doz guys, jumping on those threads.... Just food for thought...Free, just pay postage!!!
flyfishingthecreekM.R.P.
Flyflinger on Mar 11, 2015March 11th, 2015, 2:41 am EDT
OK, I believe I have it sorted out now, thanks in part to Planettrout. I communicated with Carol Frieze, Pearsall Embroidery. This is what she had to say about Pearsall's Gossamer silk thread:
"...The Superfine Silk is, in fact, Gossamer. We used to dye the embroidery and fishing silks for Pearsalls until shortly before he left. We had also bought a good quantity of gossamer to dye for our own purposes and for legal reasons had to call it by a different name. They no longer manufacture any silks other than those used for surgical purposes, but I have some here so can still keep going for a while." The "he" is John Cunningham, who dyed most of the products and died in 2009.
I also heard Hareline Dubbin will be the sole US distributor of Pearsall Gossamer (sic) products but at a higher mark-up. Whether that is true for Pearsall Embroidery remains to be seen. However, one can order directly from Pearsall Embroidery.
"...The Superfine Silk is, in fact, Gossamer. We used to dye the embroidery and fishing silks for Pearsalls until shortly before he left. We had also bought a good quantity of gossamer to dye for our own purposes and for legal reasons had to call it by a different name. They no longer manufacture any silks other than those used for surgical purposes, but I have some here so can still keep going for a while." The "he" is John Cunningham, who dyed most of the products and died in 2009.
I also heard Hareline Dubbin will be the sole US distributor of Pearsall Gossamer (sic) products but at a higher mark-up. Whether that is true for Pearsall Embroidery remains to be seen. However, one can order directly from Pearsall Embroidery.
Wbranch on Mar 11, 2015March 11th, 2015, 5:38 am EDT
Whew, glad you got that irksome matter sorted out!
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Oldredbarn on Mar 11, 2015March 11th, 2015, 1:55 pm EDT
That is interesting...Mark Libertone sent me to JoAnns several years back to buy embroidery thread. He tied his softhackle classics with it. They come four ply, or four strands, and he would just separate them and tie with one of the strands. That goes a long way and they have great colors...DMC I think it is...It's not real silk, but cotton.
He would tie it in at the front near the eye, wrap back as far as he wanted, and wrap back to the tying thread. He would then wrap some partridge or grouse a turn or two and there you have it. Sometimes he would dub a little hairsmask just behing the feather...A little thorax? or help stand the fibers out.
Spence
He would tie it in at the front near the eye, wrap back as far as he wanted, and wrap back to the tying thread. He would then wrap some partridge or grouse a turn or two and there you have it. Sometimes he would dub a little hairsmask just behing the feather...A little thorax? or help stand the fibers out.
Spence
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
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