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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 Ephemerella mucronata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.
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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Landscape & scenery photos from the Marengo River

A storm recedes over the boggy headwaters of a nice trout stream.  I haven't seen any trout in this stretch, but it's a good place to collect burrowing mayfly nymphs.

From the Marengo River in Wisconsin
The Marengo River in Wisconsin
This is one of my favorite small-stream pools because it's so fishable.  The little stream holds brookies, browns, and rainbows in equal number, never spectacular, but there's always a little something.

From the Marengo River above Four Corners Store Road in Wisconsin
The Marengo River above Four Corners Store Road in Wisconsin
The Marengo River above Four Corners Store Road in Wisconsin
I had excellent luck sampling burrowing mayfly nymphs here in the headwaters of a trouty small stream.

From the Marengo River in Wisconsin
I had excellent luck sampling burrowing mayfly nymphs here in the headwaters of a trouty small stream.

From the Marengo River in Wisconsin

Videos from the Marengo River

Another Hexagenia
Ephemera 2

This little Ephemera nymph swam around for a while and tried to burrow into the sand in my photography tank.

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the Marengo River in Wisconsin

References

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