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Angler's Entomology Podcast


Welcome to the Angler's Entomology Podcast.  On this podcast and blog, I am documenting my re-entry into the world of entomology.   Join us as my wife and I explore the environment in which trout live and the insects and other creatures that live in and share that space.  This is not just a dry recitation of facts, I hope to bring these creatures alive - show you how they live, what makes them fascinating in their own right, and help you understand how they interact with trout in ways that will help your fishing.  So, please join us.  I hope you enjoy the program...

Links:

Selene's Blog and Page for Classic Streamers; and you can finder her interview on the podcast the Liar's Club. 

NEW QUIZ PAGES

I'm setting up a new set of Quizizz pages to help you learn about different insect groups.  I'll be honest - the best way to learn insects is to look at a lot of insects.  So, give these a whirl and don't get discouraged if you do poorly.   Just try again every so often.   The quizzes will be tiered- so they will get more detailed and complicated as we increase in levels.   The first ones are just about learning the different orders.    

This first quiz is about identifying the four major aquatic insect orders

Quiz #2 is a continuation on Mayfly, Stonefly, Dragon and Damselfly, and Caddisfly Orders. 

This Quiz includes other orders of insects that are important to anglers, but is only the adults.  

 

Notes and Pics for Episode 17: Damselflies

Nov 20, 2017

 Ok, here are the notes and pics for Episode 17: Damelflies.  We'll start with a pic of a damselfly nymph.  Note the three gills off the end of the abdomen.  Note how he's holding them up and out - I'm pretty sure that is because the oxygen level in the petri dish was getting low... 

 

Here is an Ebony Jewelwing - this was taken up at Grand Lake Stream at Weatherby's.   While a beautiful damselfly, I really don't tie many imitations to match this.  I should, as I often see them around smaller trout streams in the woods, but more often i tie the bluets - which is the next picture. 

 

So, this is a bluet - not sure what kind.   They are another common group of damselflies.  Yes, blue, but there are green ones too (not called greenets).  These are mostly what I end up tying - and, as I said in the podcast, these are fantastic bass flies.   

 

 In terms of flies - here are the two simple nymph flies I tie and that I have good luck with.  First is the marabou version followed by the floss version.  I tie them in tan, brown, olive and black.  It is very simple - tie in at the tail, wrap the body, overwrap with gold wire and fold back the stub to make a wing case:

 

 

 Some folks think tying on large eyes (e.g., melted monofilament) is important - it does look a little more like the nymph, but I usually don't bother.  

In terms of adult damselflies, this is probably my easiest imitation - just a strip of foam - tied over a dubbing and hackle body with saddle hackles as wing:

When I'm feeling more artistic, I use the furled synthetic hair to tie the abdomen and use a deer hair body: 

and, just because i could and because I complained about not tying them earlier in the post, here is an Ebony Jewelwing imitation - where the abdomen is a piece of metallic green mylar tubing which I sealed on the end with Crazy Glue.   The wings are, again, saddle hackle, this time black, from our recently harvested rooster, Sam.  Which, should you opt to tie this yourself, you don't need Sam's hackles, or even black hackles from a rooster named Sam...