Western Red Quills

This species produces fishable hatches, but it is not well-known in angling literature. This is due primarily to its range, which consists only of California and parts of Oregon. It is a small (by western Paraleptophlebia standards) Spring emerger that fills the niche taken by Paraleptophlebia heteronea in the rest of the West.

The spinner falls of this elegant species can be quite important to anglers across the West. Recent revisions have synonymized the Midwestern species Heptagenia diabasia that may be of some local importance.

This is one of the two most common species of Rhithrogena.