Yesterday I couldn't take it anymore, steelheading simply was not itching my summertime trout stream fix! The sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky, so I filled the gas tank and pointed my aging Buick in the direction of my favorite creek.

Despite the temperature hovering in the low 20's, it was quite a beautiful day. I left the fly rod at home so I could concentrate on capturing some quality picture and video of the insects. I have recently purchased a Nikon D90 and have been thrilled with its capabilities.

The water temperature was at 34f and I did most of my collecting from a lip on the head of a pool in about 10-15 inches of water. The bottom substrate was a mix of silt, small gravel, dinner plate size flat rocks and some aquatic vegetation. I found the highest concentration of insects in the fine silt and gravel buried under the larger rocks, nearest the aquatic vegetation.

Some of the insects feature include:

Stoneflies - Capnia and Acroneuria genus
Mayflies - Stenacron, Caenis, Ephemerella and Isonychia genus
Caddis Larva - Hydropsychide and Limnephilidae family
Crane Fly Larva

These aquatic Insects were collected in Western New York from a spring fed headwaters that eventually flows into one of Lake Erie's largest tributaries.

Aquatic Insects Featured:

Stoneflies - Capnia and Acroneuria genus
Mayflies - Stenacron, Caenis, Ephemerella and Isonychia genus,
Caddis Larva - Hydropsychide and Limnephilidae family
Crane Fly Larva