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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 Amphizoa (Amphizoidae) Beetle Larva from Sears Creek in Washington
This is the first of it's family I've seen, collected from a tiny, fishless stream in the Cascades. The three species of this genus all live in the Northwest and are predators that primarily eat stonefly nymphs Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019).
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.

Landscape & scenery photos from Miscellaneous

Sunny fall colors

From Murphy Dome in Alaska
Abandoned ptarmigan habitat. I found a few white feathers from birds molting out of their winter plumage, but didn't see or hear any live ptarmigan.

From Murphy Dome in Alaska
Talkeetna in Alaska
Minto Flats

From Murphy Dome in Alaska
Panorama from the Maclaren River trail

From the Maclaren River Trail in Alaska
Taiga fetching

From the Maclaren River Trail in Alaska
Beaver dam and beaver lodge overgrown with willows

From the Maclaren River Trail in Alaska
Sunny fall colors

From Murphy Dome in Alaska
Should-be grouse habitat

From Cache Creek Road in Alaska
Taiga and the Minto Flats

From Murphy Dome in Alaska
Moose taunting me. This bull moose with little paddle antlers was in an "any bull" area near Fairbanks. I could have put him in the freezer if I hadn't signed up for the guaranteed Denali Highway caribou permit (which prevents me from moose hunting anywhere else).

From Cache Creek Road in Alaska
Sunny fall colors

From Murphy Dome in Alaska
Camouflage

From Murphy Dome in Alaska
Sunny fall colors

From Murphy Dome in Alaska
Denali from near Murphy Dome. I don't know what the peculiar bright light is shining near the top of the mountain on the right side. It was conspicuous like this for several minutes. I don't know what's up there that would reflect sunlight (or emit its own light) and look so much brighter than everything else from 150 miles away.

From Murphy Dome in Alaska
New packraft. My new PR-49 packraft getting ready for its first test in a local pond.

From Bathing Beauty Pond in Alaska
Even stocker grayling are pretty. I planned to keep this one for dinner if it was the first of many, but the others weren't biting and the stringer hadn't done any permanent damage, so I released it unharmed.
High upon a signpost rearing, down upon pedestrians jeering, 
Squawking rather nasty things not heard from any bird before;
Parking regulations broken, yet the bird paid not a token,
And the bird was so outspoken, taunting watchers at its fore,
Taunting that it need not pay the fee that we abhor.
This it laughed, and then it soared.

From University of Alaska Fairbanks in Alaska

References

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