Today’s fish stomach sample is brought to you by an 8-inch wild brown trout caught in the lower Owens River at Five Bridges on Wednesday August 9th, 2023. It was caught at 11:00 A.M. on a size 12 stoner nymph on a three fly Euro rig.
An 8-inch brown trout caught at 11:00 A.M. on the lower Owens River at Five Bridges with flows of 290 CFS.
Hydropsyche caddis nymphs, mayfly nymphs, a mayfly adult, scuds and a stonefly nymph were found in this stomach sample. Hydropsyche caddis nymphs have anal hooks to keep them attached to the rocks in the substrate. Can you find the anal hooks on the hydropsyche caddis nymphs? Can you identify these aquatic insects? Check out photo below for insect names.
Under high flows hydropsyche caddis flourish. When flows drop the caddis migrate with the dropping water concentrating their population and making them available to predations by trout. Did you know the insects? How many different species did you identify?