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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.

Artistic view of a Perlodidae (Springflies and Yellow Stones) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This one seems to lead to Couplet 35 of the Key to Genera of Perlodidae Nymphs and the genus Isoperla, but I'm skeptical that's correct based on the general look. I need to get it under the microscope to review several choices in the key, and it'll probably end up a different Perlodidae.
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.

By Troutnut on July 29th, 2015
I've been lucky enough this summer to see a tremendous amount of good scenery and good fishing during my work on three Alaskan streams and breaks in between. I have a backlog of good photos to share from all these adventures, once I eventually have time this winter. But this one I just couldn't wait to post.

Photos by Troutnut from Mystery Creek #186 in Alaska

Big Arctic grayling eating a Drunella doddsii mayfly dun.

Comments / replies

Crepuscular
Crepuscular's profile picture
Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920
Crepuscular on Aug 3, 2015August 3rd, 2015, 3:12 am EDT
Wow Jason what a wonderful photo! Thanks for posting. So was that fish rising steadily and you just got it perfect or what?
Falsifly
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Hayward, WI.

Posts: 660
Falsifly on Aug 3, 2015August 3rd, 2015, 4:49 am EDT
Jason, I hope you have considered the potential contained in that photo.
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."
Martinlf
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Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Aug 3, 2015August 3rd, 2015, 5:20 am EDT
I hope the next thing that fish ate was your fly! Cool photo!
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
PaulRoberts
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Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Aug 3, 2015August 3rd, 2015, 6:55 am EDT
Very cool shot, Jason.
MiltRPowell
Posts: 106
MiltRPowell on Aug 3, 2015August 3rd, 2015, 7:50 am EDT
Thanks for that photo. You have a way of capturing moments in nature that many of us cannot get to see. I really enjoy this site, info, photos, opinions, & more. Find the site, very eye opening, there 2 very hard 2 explain. But keep it up, the sky is your limit, your work in your field, be your palate.
Thanks, Milt.....
flyfishingthecreekM.R.P.
Lastchance
Portage, PA

Posts: 437
Lastchance on Aug 3, 2015August 3rd, 2015, 2:01 pm EDT
To say the least, that is awesome!
Steps25
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Connecticut

Posts: 31
Steps25 on Aug 3, 2015August 3rd, 2015, 6:05 pm EDT
Beautiful!
Jmd123
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Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Aug 3, 2015August 3rd, 2015, 8:01 pm EDT
Nice shot Jason!! You been catching many lately? Or too busy with summer research?

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Troutnut
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Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Aug 3, 2015August 3rd, 2015, 11:00 pm EDT
I've been catching lots of them both for research and on breaks during research trips. Each data set consists of a few hours of video recording of the fish, concurrent with drift sampling, followed by diet sampling. While the cameras are rolling, we often have time to go off somewhere downstream to do some fishing without disturbing our data fish. And when the cameras are done rolling, I try to catch the same fish we were filming (and usually succeed) to pump their stomachs for comparison with model predictions.

Anyway yes, I've caught several hundred grayling this year. :)
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Oldredbarn
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Novi, MI

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on Aug 4, 2015August 4th, 2015, 4:07 am EDT
Wonderful Jason!

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
Jkeag
Posts: 1
Jkeag on Nov 1, 2015November 1st, 2015, 6:06 am EST
Incredible photo of the Grayling taking the mayfly. Watched with amazement the film on Alaskan Field Work. Is the project scope posted someplace?
Troutnut
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Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Nov 2, 2015November 2nd, 2015, 10:07 pm EST
Hi Jkeag,

For more details on our research, see here:

http://www.driftmodelproject.org/about-the-project/
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

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