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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.
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TimCat
TimCat's profile picture
Alanson, MI

Posts: 121
TimCat on May 1, 2016May 1st, 2016, 5:58 pm EDT
I fished the Black River in Michigan about a half hour from gaylord this Saturday morning. The only bugs I "recognized" on the surface were some sporadic Blue-Winged Olives coming off the surface. Not much of a hatch in the classic sense, and no fish were rising either. The water was just above 40 degrees F. As a novice, I am not positive this was baetis or baetidae, but they were green mayflies with purpleish and pinkish wings. These guys were tiny. If I had to guess a hook size for them it would be 24-26 or smaller. Is this possible for BWOs or am I mistaken? I always thought they weren't much smaller than size 18.

Sorry I don't have any pictures, but even if I took the time to take one, my phone would not be able to focus on something that small.
"If I'm not going to catch anything, then I 'd rather not catch anything on flies" - Bob Lawless
Entoman
Entoman's profile picture
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on May 1, 2016May 1st, 2016, 6:27 pm EDT
No, you are probably right about them being baetids, though the odds are they probably aren't in the genus Baetis. The wing color you noticed sounds like a description of spinner wings in the right light conditions.
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman
TimCat
TimCat's profile picture
Alanson, MI

Posts: 121
TimCat on May 2, 2016May 2nd, 2016, 3:27 pm EDT
Gotcha. Thanks for the reply. I was just surprised to see them being so small. I had nothing in my box even remotely close to that size, not even trico patterns.
"If I'm not going to catch anything, then I 'd rather not catch anything on flies" - Bob Lawless

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