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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 Epeorus albertae (Heptageniidae) (Pink Lady) Mayfly Nymph from the East Fork Issaquah Creek in Washington
This specimen keys to the Epeorus albertae group of species. Of the five species in that group, the two known in Washington state are Epeorus albertae and Epeorus dulciana. Of the two, albertae has been collected in vastly more locations in Washington than dulciana, suggesting it is far more common. On that basis alone I'm tentatively putting this nymph in albertae, with the large caveat that there's no real information to rule out dulciana.
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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Jmd123 has attached these 20 pictures. The message is below.
It started with blue mushrooms on my lawn...don't know what these are!
White oaks were amazing last fall
Brilliant color everywhere!
This is a chunk of the Alpena State Forest, right across the road from me
No, it's not the Virgin Mary...and I didn't know we had macaws in Michigan!
Last fall's controlled burn was revegetating nicely - should be amazing this spring
Prairie/savanna, habitat for smooth green snakes
Scrubby oaks all colored up
What's fall without a few fungi?
Hey, I made it all the way to the powerlines!  Coppler Creek is down there!
Maple on fire
ORV crossing, fortunately not heavily used
Looking up the canyon from midstream, Teva-clad toes in ice cold water on a sunny October day
Downstream from the crossing...
Into the woods we go!
Brookie waters
This looks flycastable...with a short rod!
This is my current screensaver
Pretty juicy
Yep, I can walk to this
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Apr 2, 2020April 2nd, 2020, 1:45 pm EDT
This was the last big hike I took last fall, and our colors were amazing. Our trout season here in MI opens three weeks from tomorrow & I have a couple of new 6'6" 2-weights to explore these gorgeous little brookie creeks with. As it turns out, I am hoping that I have just moved from one place where I can walk to bass & bluegill to a new place where I can walk to brookies...we'll see in a few weeks! In the meantime, let these photos take your mind off the crazy world and into a secret place full of natural wonders, including blood-red sphagnum moss, wild cranberries, and sundews. Enjoy!

Jonathon, hunkered down in beautiful northern Michigan woods
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Partsman
Partsman's profile picture
bancroft michigan

Posts: 321
Partsman on Apr 2, 2020April 2nd, 2020, 2:13 pm EDT
Thanks Jonathon, really need something right now to brighten the day. At least the sun was shining today. Ive been fishing all winter when water levels and temps allowed, but Im ready for some warm weather and bugs on top.
Mike.
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Apr 3, 2020April 3rd, 2020, 1:54 pm EDT
How the heck would it be possible to fly fish that Hellish place? Maybe a 4' ultra light spin rod and a little worm. What is in there, midget trout?
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Jmd123
Jmd123's profile picture
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Apr 3, 2020April 3rd, 2020, 2:25 pm EDT
To someone such as yourself, Matt, used to fishing in large, wide-open waters, the above probably looks claustrophobic as all hell. But with a shorter-than-7-foot rod & 2-weight DT line, and some 5x tippet & appropriate sized flies, there are beautiful brookies to be had, especially if Mr. Beaver has created some habitat for them. My new location is laced with little streams like this, either tributaries to the Pine (as is the above) or flowing into the north shores of Foote and Cooke Ponds. Not much competition for solitude! Especially in these days of "the plague" when you wanna avoid everyone...plus the other natural wonders hiding in there, they're magical places and a challenge to fish, making success sweeter. And I'm sure plenty of Troutnuts will back me up that you will at times be surprised by how big a brookie will come out of waters like this, they are small-stream specialists!

And I can walk to it, or it's a short drive if I don't feel like making the hike, and that's an ultimate advantage, easy access!

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Apr 4, 2020April 4th, 2020, 7:06 am EDT
Hi Jon,

And I can walk to it, or it's a short drive if I don't feel like making the hike, and that's an ultimate advantage, easy access!


I understand. I frequent another ffing forum and there are a bunch of guys there who fish streams even smaller than the one in your pictures. There is a large group of fly fishers who love little water and wild brookies. I'm happy for them, and for myself, because it keeps them away from the big waters I like to fish. Diversity is what is so interesting about ffing. Big fish, little fish, big and small waters, bass, trout, steelhead, Atlantic salmon, the list of different pursuits is very lengthy. I know guys who only fish for Atlantic salmon. Nothing else. I know guys who love to fly fish but only in salt water. Two of my closest friends are dry fly snobs. They will not fish for wild trout with anything but dry flies and usually only to rising trout.

It is great you live so close to that water (it must be a haven for mosquitoes and black flies!!). If I had a decent stream, even if they were stocked trout, within 15 minutes I'd be very happy to be able to get out for a few hours.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

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