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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 Female Sweltsa borealis (Chloroperlidae) (Boreal Sallfly) Stonefly Adult from Harris Creek in Washington
I was not fishing, but happened to be at an unrelated social event on a hill above this tiny creek (which I never even saw) when this stonefly flew by me. I assume it came from there. Some key characteristics are tricky to follow, but process of elimination ultimately led me to Sweltsa borealis. It is reassuringly similar to this specimen posted by Bob Newell years ago. It is also so strikingly similar to this nymph from the same river system that I'm comfortable identifying that nymph from this adult. I was especially pleased with the closeup photo of four mites parasitizing this one.
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.
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Millcreek has attached these 7 pictures. The message is below.
Male (upper portion) and female (lower portion)
Female
Female
Male
Female and male
Male
Siphlonurus and female buddy
Millcreek
Healdsburg, CA

Posts: 344
Millcreek on Apr 6, 2016April 6th, 2016, 10:45 am EDT
The genus was determined using 'An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America' by Merritt, Cummins and Berg (2008). The species was undetermined because of the lack of a key for the western nymphs. Most were found along the edge of the river, where the current was slow. The substrate was mostly sand and small gravel with fine silt and organic matter. They range in size from 6- 8 mm (excluding cerci).

These were found in the Russian River. They were found in an area that I had sampled many times before over four years and hadn't found any. I have found them in many small streams that feed into the Russian but this is the first time I have actually found them in the Russian.

They appear to be a separate species as well, given that they have white spots on the head and the abdominal terga are different. The others can be seen here http://www.troutnut.com/topic/9046/Ameletus-and-Paraleptophlebia and here http://www.troutnut.com/topic/8596/Paraleptophlebia-helena#41842


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-Albert Einstein

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