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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.

Dorsal view of a Sweltsa (Chloroperlidae) (Sallfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This species was fairly abundant in a February sample of the upper Yakima.
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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Pictures of Trout, Salmon, and Grayling Underwater

Pictures of Trout, Salmon, and Grayling Underwater

Underwater photos of trout, salmon, and grayling — mostly from the days when I ran around with a very early waterproof camera (and the 2003 quality shows).

This was the biggest dwarf dolly varden of the day, a mature male about 8.5-9" long, quite a bruiser for the creek he was in.  He's the prettiest fish I've caught in a while.

This fish is also pictured in this picture and this one.

From Mystery Creek # 170 in Alaska
Well, this is one way to make 'em pose... keep them on the line!

This one settled next to the camera pretty nicely as soon as I let off the tension.

From the Mystery Creek # 23 in New York
Same male dwarf dolly as in this picture and this one.

From Mystery Creek # 170 in Alaska
Closeup of the pectoral fin of this dwarf dolly varden.

From Mystery Creek # 170 in Alaska
Can you spot the brook trout in this picture? This is a good example of how they seek cover when a danger (my camera) approaches.
Two young of the year brook trout hide in a little spring hole in a remote, crystal-clear small stream.
Nome Creek in Alaska
This simple rubber-legged foam beetle is one of my favorite flies for Arctic grayling.  It's quick to tie so I don't mind losing one or two on snags.  It's durable, so one fly can last a hundred fish or more.  It never needs floatant to ride the surface well.  Most importantly, it catches fish, although grayling often hit almost anything.  The bold profile and attention-grabbing plop of the beetle, I think, draw fish from farther away than a more subtle fly might, and it often draws unusually savage strikes.

From the Chatanika River in Alaska
You can see the dwarf dolly I caught in this pool, hanging out after being released, just up/left from the center of the picture.  You can't really tell it's a fish here, though.

From Mystery Creek # 170 in Alaska
Fish Creek in Alaska
This is my favorite picture of this school of brookies. Notice there are a few other fish mixed in, minnow family mostly. Near the bottom right there's a really big brookie. These trout were densely schooled up near a major spring source during the dead of winter.

From the Mystery Creek # 19 in Wisconsin
This isn't really an underwater picture, but a picture taken into my aquarium of midge larvae which lived in the silt I used for substrate.  Each larva has a little tower of detritus built up along the bottom, while the bare larva waves around from the top.
Same male dwarf dolly as in this picture and this one.

From Mystery Creek # 170 in Alaska
Dwarf dolly varden

From Mystery Creek # 170 in Alaska
A 4 inch brookie hides from the camera behind a rock under a cut bank.

From the Mystery Creek # 19 in Wisconsin
This tiny brook trout fry lived in a crystal clear nursery area where a large spring flows straight from the ground.

From the Mystery Creek # 19 in Wisconsin
There's one small brook trout running with this school of minnows at the head of a crystal clear spring.
The Mystery Creek # 19 in Wisconsin
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