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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This one seems to tentatively key to Holocentropus, although I can't make out the anal spines in Couplet 7 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae nor the dark bands in Couplet 4 of the Key to Genera of Polycentropodidae Larvae, making me wonder if I went wrong somewhere in keying it out. I don't see where that could have happened, though. It might also be that it's a very immature larva and doesn't possess all the identifying characteristics in the key yet. If Holocentropus is correct, then Holocentropus flavus and Holocentropus interruptus are the two likely possibilities based on range, but I was not able to find a description of their larvae.
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Report at a Glance
| General Region | Erie County, PA |
| Specific Location | Girard and Folly's End |
| Dates Fished | November 11 & 12 |
| Time of Day | 8:00 - 12:00 & 1:00 - Dusk |
| Fish Caught | Bright steelhead |
| Conditions & Hatches | Arrived on high water with virtually no visibility. Later Wednesday through Thursday very good color and conditions. Rain over night Thursday and stream totally blown out Friday morning. |
Details and Discussion
Wbranch on Nov 15, 2015November 15th, 2015, 12:50 pm EST
Wednesday caught two 23" fresh fish at Route 20 area. Drove up to Folly's End and found a nice pool with good numbers of fish in the head. Hooked six and landed four to 25".
Thursday slammed a ton of new fish in Girard on orange sucker spawn, emerald shiners, and various egg patterns. Hooked fifteen and put ten on the gravel. In the afternoon I went back to Folly's and the stream was low, had to walk upstream almost a mile to find fish. Very windy with gusts to 45 mph. Leaves in the stream were a major problem. Hooked six and put four more on the gravel including one about 26".
Was going to fish four hours on Friday morning but it must of rained hard overnight in the headwaters because when I got to Folly's at 7:30 a.m. the river was at least a foot up since the late afternoon the day before and dirty. Took my stuff off and by 8:10 was heading home. Drove non stop and pulled into my driveway at 1:25. Took some pictures with my cell phone but didn't upload them yet. Probably will go back one more time after Thanksgiving.
Thursday slammed a ton of new fish in Girard on orange sucker spawn, emerald shiners, and various egg patterns. Hooked fifteen and put ten on the gravel. In the afternoon I went back to Folly's and the stream was low, had to walk upstream almost a mile to find fish. Very windy with gusts to 45 mph. Leaves in the stream were a major problem. Hooked six and put four more on the gravel including one about 26".
Was going to fish four hours on Friday morning but it must of rained hard overnight in the headwaters because when I got to Folly's at 7:30 a.m. the river was at least a foot up since the late afternoon the day before and dirty. Took my stuff off and by 8:10 was heading home. Drove non stop and pulled into my driveway at 1:25. Took some pictures with my cell phone but didn't upload them yet. Probably will go back one more time after Thanksgiving.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Martinlf on Nov 18, 2015November 18th, 2015, 6:44 am EST
Not a bad couple of days, Matt. Thanks for the report.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
Wbranch on Nov 18, 2015November 18th, 2015, 7:27 am EST
Heck yea! Anytime I can land twenty steelhead in two days is a great trip. Might be done for now going to Erie. Getting ready for Thanksgiving. I cook the bird and make a stuffing my Mom used to make and my wife makes the sweet potatoes, her stuffing, vegetables, etc. We have the biggest dining room so we get about 10 - 12 people. Then it is the start of decorating the house for Christmas and the associated dinner parties.
Looks like the earliest I could get back up is December 13.
Looks like the earliest I could get back up is December 13.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
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