Underwater Pictures from Trout Streams, Page 3

Two young of the year brook trout hide in a little spring hole in a remote, crystal-clear small stream.

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 (

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Here's an underwater view of the pupal shucks of several already-emerged Brachycentrus numerosus caddisflies.

Shuck: The shed exoskeleton left over when an insect molts into its next stage or instar. Most often it describes the last nymphal or pupal skin exited during emergence into a winged adult.) appears far brighter than it really is.

In this picture: Caddisfly Species Brachycentrus appalachia (Apple Caddis).

These are glossosomatids, Jason. They are probably Glossosoma nigrior, though it is possible that we are looking at mixed species. The ones to the right with their aggregate of similar sized grains are classic Glossosoma, while the ones to the left with the large anchor pebbles could possibly be Agapetus. Regardless, they're all commonly referred to as saddle case makers.

In this picture: Caddisfly Family Glossosomatidae (Saddle-case Makers).

The large caddisfly case (really less than 1/2 inch) is a Brachycentridae larva. The other cases are actually the protective sheaths of black fly (Simuliidae) pupae. The two antler-like pieces sticking out of each one are not legs, but antennal sheaths.

In this picture: Caddisfly Family Brachycentridae (Apple Caddis and Grannoms) and True Fly Family Simuliidae (Black Flies).

Here's the head of a sea lamprey which migrated up the Delaware River to spawn.

Several fast-swimming Siphlonurus nymphs blend in very well with the silt in this slow backwater along a trout stream.

In this picture: Mayfly Genus Siphlonurus (Gray Drakes).

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.