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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As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
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CaseyP on Sep 19, 2007September 19th, 2007, 10:40 am EDT
oh, gosh! isn't it amazing that any and everything associated with a fairly simple activity (see fish, catch fish, release fish) can get so wonderfully complex. and isn't it more amazing that this forum has folks who really like to make sure the rest of us know and understand the immense possibilities that exist in case we'd like to go into it a bit further. i'm serious in what i say here, just in case you think i'm being flip--not at all. i honestly had no idea there was more to dying things than Rit. the mere fact of different colored pheasant tails in my fly shop was in eye-opener! and then people straightenthat kinky calf's tail hair so it's easier to use.
the sheer inventiveness around here is just mind-boggling...;-) thank you one and all for taking the time and having the interest in your fellow anglers to share the knowledge!
the sheer inventiveness around here is just mind-boggling...;-) thank you one and all for taking the time and having the interest in your fellow anglers to share the knowledge!
"You can observe a lot by watching." Yogi Berra
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