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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Brian314 on Jul 7, 2019July 7th, 2019, 2:54 am EDT
One summer (years ago) on the Au Sable South Branch (at Truettner's, to be exact) I kept running into these weird-but-beautiful flies - took me forver just to figure out what they were - was wondering if anyone has ever seen a trout take one ??
Falsifly on Jul 8, 2019July 8th, 2019, 2:20 am EDT
Yes I have but they were females ovipositing. The technique required would be dapping. Unfortunately they were laying their eggs under a thick very low hanging willow through which it was impossible to gain access. It was interesting to watch and I gave it some thought but had to move on.
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."
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."
Troutnut on Jul 11, 2019July 11th, 2019, 3:53 am EDT
The larvae are found more often in still water than running water, although that can include still-water sloughs connected to a river. I wouldn't be surprised if trout take a few, although I've never seen them in numbers that would make a trout selective enough to require an imitation.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Jmd123 on Jul 12, 2019July 12th, 2019, 12:38 am EDT
Their larvae like iron seeps - places where Iron-rich groundwater comes to the surface, and makes that funky orange-yellow looking flocculent stuff called "yellowboy" (an iron oxide-hydroxide mixture). Find this, dig around in it, and you will find the larvae, and probably a few adults flying around too. They're cool and pretty!
Jonathon
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Brian314 on Sep 1, 2019September 1st, 2019, 9:34 pm EDT
Been fishing the HW and the SB a lot - haven't seen one in years - very cool though :-)
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