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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 Kogotus (Perlodidae) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington
This one pretty clearly keys to Kogotus, but it also looks fairly different from specimens I caught in the same creek about a month later in the year. With only one species of the genus known in Washington, I'm not sure about the answer to this ID.
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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By Troutnut on July 6th, 2019
After camping atop the Gravelly Range and mostly dodging thunderstorms throughout the day, we set up to camp in the evening at Cottonwood Campground along the upper Ruby and drove to fish a nearby reach that looked good on Google Earth. There wasn't much visible bug activity and I didn't see a single fish, but I did manage to find five small to medium rainbows on nymphs and soft-hackles.

Photos by Troutnut from the Ruby River in Montana

Open country way up in the headwaters of the Ruby near the Gravelly Range road.

From the Ruby River in Montana
The Ruby River in Montana
One of five small-medium rainbows I caught on the Ruby despite high water from a recent thundershower.
The Ruby River in Montana
Headwaters of the Ruby.

From the Ruby River in Montana

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the Ruby River in Montana

Ruler view of a Male Drunella (Ephemerellidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from the Ruby River in Montana The smallest ruler marks are 1 mm.

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