Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York

Blue-winged Olives
Baetis

Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.

Stream photos

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Psychodidae True Fly Larva Psychodidae True Fly Larva

Lateral view of a Psychodidae True Fly Larva from Mystery Creek #308 in Washington

This wild-looking little thing completely puzzled me. At first I was thinking beetle or month larva, until I got a look at the pictures on the computer screen. I made a couple of incorrect guesses before entomologist Greg Courtney pointed me in the right direction with Psychodidae. He suggested a possible genus of Thornburghiella, but could not rule out some other members of the tribe Pericomini.

8 Recently Added Photos

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.

The East Branch of the Delaware River

Landscape & scenery photos from the East Branch of the Delaware River

My girlfriend casts amidst a mix of bugs hatching in mid-July from a Catskill stream.

From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

A large, slow Catskill trout river meanders in the shadow of a mountain.

From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

The East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

Underwater photos from the East Branch of the Delaware River

I love this "above & below" landscape from a popular Catskill trout stream. The picture is not doctored to show both perspectives. Instead, my Pentax Optio WPi digital camera is able to take pictures with the tiny lens half-in, half-out of the water.

From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

This is a close-up underwater view of a stillborn Ephemerella subvaria (Henrickson) female dun.

From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

A Brachycentrus "Apple Caddis" pupa scoots around in the surface film. Apparently it had some difficulty emerging, so I was able to slip my camera underneath it and take a picture from below.

From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

This picture from below shows a stillborn Ephemerella subvaria (Hendrickson) dun drifting on the surface amidst a number of shed pupal skins from Brachycentrus caddisflies which were heavily hatching that day.

From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

This Brachycentrus "Apple Caddis" struggled more than its kin in escaping its pupal skin, enabling me to take an underwater picture of it from directly below. This is sort of a trout's eye view, but I used the flash for the picture so the transparent shuck appears far brighter than it really is.

From the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

Male Afghanurus inconspicua Mayfly Dun

14 Pictures

Lateral view of a Male Afghanurus inconspicua (Heptageniidae) Mayfly Dun from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

This pretty little dun was part of a sparse midsummer evening hatch on a large Catskill river.

I could not identify it by following a species key step by step, but I tentatively keyed it to the genus Nixe, and based on distribution maps and physical descriptions the most likely species is Nixe inconspicua. (Edit in 2023: this species was recently moved from Nixe into Afghanurus.)

Collected July 12, 2005 from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

Added by Troutnut on April 14, 2006

Collected July 12, 2005 from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York and added by Troutnut on April 14, 2006

Male Neoleptophlebia Mayfly Spinner

15 Pictures

Lateral view of a Male Neoleptophlebia (Leptophlebiidae) Mayfly Spinner from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

I wasn't actually fishing the river where I caught this one. I was just scouting, didn't like the look of the water, and as I was walking back to the car this little dun landed on my vest. Why can't they all be so easy to collect?

Collected September 7, 2006 from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York

Added by Troutnut on October 4, 2006

Collected September 7, 2006 from the East Branch of the Delaware River in New York and added by Troutnut on October 4, 2006

Female Stenacron (Light Cahill) Mayfly Spinner

4 Pictures