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Grayling & bugs on the upper Gulkana River



By Troutnut on July 17th, 2011
We went sightseeing in the Alaska Range on Sunday and made a quick stop near where the Gulkana River crosses the Denali Highway. Wader issues prevented us from venturing very far, so we were confined to a long stretch of easily accessed pocket water containing about two pockets, which held one nice grayling for each of us. Once again, Lena caught the first fish, giving my wife her chance to debut as a fashion model for the Troutnut store:



(Any wives reading this can buy "I outfish my husband" stuff here.)

I also collected some nymphs and a beautiful Drunella doddsii dun to photograph.

Photos by Troutnut from the Gulkana River and Miscellaneous Alaska in Alaska

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From the Gulkana River in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationGulkana River
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon PowerShot D10
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Rainbow Mountain in the Alaska Range, one of the prettiest pieces of the Richardson Highway. From Richardson Highway in Alaska.
Rainbow Mountain in the Alaska Range, one of the prettiest pieces of the Richardson Highway.
StateAlaska
LocationRichardson Highway
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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From Richardson Highway in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationRichardson Highway
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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From Richardson Highway in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationRichardson Highway
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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The Delta River and the Alaska Range in the distance. From Richardson Highway in Alaska.
The Delta River and the Alaska Range in the distance.
StateAlaska
LocationRichardson Highway
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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From Richardson Highway in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationRichardson Highway
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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From the Gulkana River in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationGulkana River
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon PowerShot D10
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A moose feeds in wetlands in the Delta River Valley. From Richardson Highway in Alaska.
A moose feeds in wetlands in the Delta River Valley.
StateAlaska
LocationRichardson Highway
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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From the Gulkana River in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationGulkana River
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon PowerShot D10
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From the Gulkana River in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationGulkana River
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon PowerShot D10
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From Richardson Highway in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationRichardson Highway
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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From the Gulkana River in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationGulkana River
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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From Richardson Highway in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationRichardson Highway
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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From Richardson Highway in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationRichardson Highway
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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I think this is Lena's nicest grayling yet, around 16 inches. From the Gulkana River in Alaska.
I think this is Lena's nicest grayling yet, around 16 inches.
StateAlaska
LocationGulkana River
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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From the Gulkana River in Alaska.
StateAlaska
LocationGulkana River
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon PowerShot D10

Underwater photos by Troutnut from the Gulkana River in Alaska

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In this picture: True Fly Family Chironomidae (Midges). From the Gulkana River in Alaska.


In this picture: True Fly Family Chironomidae (Midges).
StateAlaska
LocationGulkana River
Date TakenJul 17, 2011
Date AddedJul 20, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon PowerShot D10

Closeup insects by Troutnut from the Gulkana River in Alaska

Male Drunella doddsii (Western Green Drake) Mayfly DunMale Drunella doddsii (Western Green Drake) Mayfly Dun View 13 Pictures
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Drunella doddsii (Western Green Drake) Mayfly NymphDrunella doddsii (Western Green Drake) Mayfly Nymph View 12 Pictures
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Suwallia (Sallflies) Stonefly NymphSuwallia (Sallflies) Stonefly Nymph View 9 Pictures
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Cinygmula (Dark Red Quills) Mayfly NymphCinygmula (Dark Red Quills) Mayfly Nymph View 7 PicturesThis very strange nymph appears to be undoubtedly Cinygmula, yet it lacks the telltale protruding mouthparts that usually make that genus so easy to identify.
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Chironomidae (Midges) Midge PupaChironomidae (Midges) True Fly Pupa View 5 Pictures
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Chironomidae (Midges) Midge LarvaChironomidae (Midges) True Fly Larva View 3 Pictures
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Cinygmula (Dark Red Quills) Mayfly NymphCinygmula (Dark Red Quills) Mayfly Nymph View 8 PicturesThis nymph was one of many I collected with vivid white or semi-transparent markings on the front of the head, the sides of the pronotum (Pronotum: The top of the insect prothorax.), and the last abdominal segments.
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Male Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives) Mayfly NymphMale Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives) Mayfly Nymph View 8 Pictures
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Epeorus deceptivus Mayfly NymphEpeorus deceptivus Mayfly Nymph View 8 PicturesGills #1 failing to meet at the center sterna combined with a lack of small dark single spots mid-femur (
The femur of this Isonychia bicolor mayfly spinner is highlighted in red.
The femur of this Isonychia bicolor mayfly spinner is highlighted in red.
Femur: The main segment of an insect's leg close to the body, in between the tibia and the trochanter.) are characters that differentiate Epeorus deceptivus from Epeorus longimanus.
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Drunella doddsii (Western Green Drake) Mayfly NymphDrunella doddsii (Western Green Drake) Mayfly Nymph View 3 Pictures
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Cinygmula (Dark Red Quills) Mayfly NymphCinygmula (Dark Red Quills) Mayfly Nymph View 9 Pictures
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Female Cinygmula (Dark Red Quills) Mayfly DunFemale Cinygmula (Dark Red Quills) Mayfly Dun View 7 Pictures
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
Drunella doddsii (Western Green Drake) Mayfly NymphDrunella doddsii (Western Green Drake) Mayfly Nymph View 4 Pictures
Collected July 17, 2011 from the Gulkana River in Alaska
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 20, 2011
«Older: July 15th, 2011Newer: July 24th, 2011»

Most recent comments on this post (latest on top)

EntomanJuly 27th, 2011, 7:25 pm
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604		Hi Luke -

If info comes along later refuting the placement, we'll just have to move them... But this is the angler in me speaking.:)


:)Indeed


Just to clarify, you do understand I meant for angler oriented sites right? Don't want you to think I'm a total luddite.:)

Kurt
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman
MotroutJuly 23rd, 2011, 7:16 pm
Posts: 319		I enjoyed the post. My father grew up in that part of Alaska and the Gulkana was one of his favorite rivers. He talks about that river all the time to this day, so I found this pretty interesting. Great pictures, thanks a lot!

"I don't know what fly fishing teaches us, but I think it's something we need to know."-John Gierach
http://fishingintheozarks.blogspot.com/
KonchuJuly 20th, 2011, 7:30 pm
Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 505
But this is the angler in me speaking.:)


:) indeed
EntomanJuly 20th, 2011, 2:14 pm
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604		Luke -
if someone figures out the nymph associations for western Cinygmula, and can id the species, let me know...


Excellent point that can be applied to genera in a lot of families. The best we can do with photos of the "tough ones" is apply descriptions from science/reputable angling texts as best we can and go with what seems most reasonable. The most often used words should be "probably" and "possibly". If info comes along later refuting the placement, we'll just have to move them. I think this a better way to go then simply throwing everything into familial or generic categories unless determinations can be made with absolute certainty (which is impossible with most photos in the first place). But this is the angler in me speaking.:)

Regards,

Kurt

"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman
TroutnutJuly 20th, 2011, 1:13 pm
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2737
You on vacation or have you finished up on the PhD?


Still working like crazy! Summers up here mean "work hard & play hard."
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Read 3 more comments in the forum »

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