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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.

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella mucronata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.
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.

Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Dec 23, 2017December 23rd, 2017, 3:02 am EST
Merry Christmas to all my Troutnut friends and acquaintances! I am looking forward to a wonderful year in 2018 and many exciting fishing trips. I'm wishing all of you to have a wonderful Christmas with your immediate and extended families.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Troutnut
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Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Dec 24, 2017December 24th, 2017, 9:19 am EST
You too!
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
CaseyP
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Arlington, VA/ Mercersburg, PA

Posts: 653
CaseyP on Dec 24, 2017December 24th, 2017, 12:42 pm EST
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
and i hope my Hanukkah friends had a lovely celebration!
"You can observe a lot by watching." Yogi Berra
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Jan 2, 2018January 2nd, 2018, 6:52 am EST
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of my fellow Troutnuts!! Here's wishing you all tight lines and heavy hatches in the season to come. Also, enough warmth for us winter sportspeople to get out and enjoy ourselves! Took the skis and the ice fishing gear all the way down to Troy and back (easy access to trails and my hometown lake is only 3 miles from my Mom's house) and it was just too freakin' cold to use them at all...Here's hoping that last year's heavy precipitation will keep our springs high and running cold (maybe warm right now!) and give us a good trout season this year.

"God bless us, every one!" - Tiny Tim

...or was that, "Tip toe, through the tulips..."?

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

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