Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica
The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.
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As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
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Pookie025
Posts: 2
Posts: 2
Pookie025 on Mar 21, 2015March 21st, 2015, 2:40 pm EDT
Today i turned over some rocks and found these insects. Im having a hard time identifying them. Also can you please recommend what fly to use. Thanks
MiltRPowell
Posts: 106
Posts: 106
MiltRPowell on Mar 21, 2015March 21st, 2015, 5:16 pm EDT
Hello, I'm guessing, your photo's, I myself cannot see it good & it small. Early swimming nymph, crawler, guess, swimming Ephemerella.,subvaria. Go to this site & look at the hatchs. You have it fresh in your head, you'll find it. Try what I thought it could be.
Then take it from there., put the work in you'll find it. Or maybe one of the guy's later will help ya. This early, ah!!, look at Troutnuts nice work him & others have posted. That is part fishing on the fly
finding, looking, & scraching the top of your head,huh!!!!
good luck, later Milt.
Then take it from there., put the work in you'll find it. Or maybe one of the guy's later will help ya. This early, ah!!, look at Troutnuts nice work him & others have posted. That is part fishing on the fly
finding, looking, & scraching the top of your head,huh!!!!
good luck, later Milt.
flyfishingthecreekM.R.P.
Millcreek on Mar 21, 2015March 21st, 2015, 7:38 pm EDT
From the top your first picture is a stonefly, probably a Taeniopterygidae. Your second picture no idea what it could be, the third is a mayfly of some sort, the fourth and fifth are two different caddisflies, and the sixth is a repeat of the second.
"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
-Albert Einstein
-Albert Einstein
Pookie025
Posts: 2
Posts: 2
Pookie025 on Mar 22, 2015March 22nd, 2015, 7:54 am EDT
I want to take better pictures. What do you guys reconmend for a camera setup. Thanks
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