Troutnut Forum > Fly Hatch Talk > Salmonfly question for you westerners
This topic is about the Stonefly Species Pteronarcys californica
This is the West's most legendary hatch. Anglers race to the streams to catch large trout surface feeding on large insects, a mania like that for Hexagenia limbata mayflies in the Midwest. This is the very largest species of all mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies, up to 2.5 inches long.
Like the other very large insects, its hatches are especially hit-or-miss events. When hit, they are extraordinary. The hatch progresses upriver quickly, providing good fishing on a single stretch for a few days at best.
Cloudy days improve the odds of a good Salmonfly hatch. Read more...
The Discussion
| Troutnut | July 30th, 2006, 6:04 pm | |
| Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1435 | I don't have many reliable sources about this species, so it'd be great if you western fishermen could read over the article and make sure I haven't said anything stupid or omitted anything important. I'll be happy to incorporate any additions you have. | |
| Jason Neuswanger The Troutnut | ||
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| Jim40 | April 5th, 2007, 5:03 am | |
| BC Posts: 1 | Hi Jason, Salmon flies in my part of the world, southern BC, emerge generally in April and provide excellent sport for a relatively brief time. I've written a little bit about them on my website. Although my photos are archaic compared to yours, you can check out my article on salmon flies, pteronarcys californica, at www.fly-fishing-british-columbia.com and click on entomology. Great site, Jim | |
| Rstrouts | June 2nd, 2007, 2:48 pm | |
| Posts: 1 | Here in Colorado, the Salmonfly hatch occurs on the Colorado River starting in late May for 2-3 weeks after runoff has begun (starts around the first or second week of May) at elevations of 7600 feet (Parshall) and a bit higher. The females are bigger (around 2") than the males (around 1 1/2") and have a black egg sack. They fly in varying numbers during the day when the water temperature is in the early to mid 50's and are most active from around duske to dawn. I have seen them mating and holding onto the willows/grass/etc at or near shore as the willows are in their budding stage. Although awkward, if they fall into the water, probably as the female bombardiers her eggs from the air (as seen in "Big Sky Bears" on Animal Planet or Discovery Channel), I have seen them make their way back to shore. I have also seen them ole trouties snatch them as they flop towards shore. Trout really key in on those flop flop flopping wings! Put an imitation fly next to a natural moving downstream and they take the natural every time because of the flopping wing motion! Although I understand them to lay eggs while in the water, I have not seen this (nor have I personally seen them drop eggs from the air, just on the tv show). | |
| Invicta | June 3rd, 2007, 10:01 pm | |
| Tulare, CA Posts: 23 | Jason, I agree with everyone's comments. I would only add that at those times I have been fortunate enough to be in a location having a good population of fish, and good water flow, the nymph fishing during the last two weeks leading up the salmon fly hatch has consistently produced the best fly fishing for me over the years. During that time the mature nymphs are migrating towards shore and the trout know it. John | |
| Aaron7_8 | April 25th, 2008, 8:43 pm | |
| Helena Montana Posts: 65 | I would agree with Invicta last summer I was fishing/camping Rock Creek in June, and the salmon fly were so thick after a thunderstorm I thought it was snow. However the fish were so full of nymphs that it was rare to see a rise out of the fish. | |
| Willamette | February 18th, 2009, 12:06 pm | |
| Posts: 1 | Here in Western Oregon the Salmon Fly hatch occurs quite a bit earlier than some of the higher altitude waters. I saw my first salmon fly of 2009 yesterday (2-17). Typically I see salmon flies through April with the majority of activity going on in March. These observations are from the upper willamette drainage (Mckenzie and Middle Fork Willamette rivers). The hatch here is much less pronounced than those on the east side of the Cascades and is not heavily fished. That said fish do take these bugs. I have also noticed that these West-Cascades salmonflies are typically very large, that is, larger than those on Eastern Oregon Streams. | |
| Aaron7_8 | February 21st, 2009, 10:51 am | |
| Helena Montana Posts: 65 | It also depends on if it is just salmon flies you are looking for. In the waters I fish they have three different fishable stone fly hatches. The skwala hatch which are real dark colored to alomost an olive under belly usually about an inch long these come off first. Then we have the salmon fly which usually come off about the time of heaviest runoff, depending on the year. Then the golden stone that come off about the end of the salmon fly hatch and goes for three to four weeks after. | |
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