Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 What a find. Pat and I did some work for this forum by searching some aged logs. The first log revealed what we thought was quite a good size Stonefly Nymph. It was missing a leg, which it could have lost in an arguement with one of the crayfish that lived in the area. We continued our search in the same eddy and hit the motherlode. This log was quite weathered and contained an entire ecosystem. We ran across some freshwater shrimp. I never thought that our rivers contained them in any numbers. You can bet that I will start fishing some shrimp and large scud patterns in the years to come. Here's the daddy of all stoneflies. As a matter of fact, I'll never wade again..LOL It was close to 2" long. Check out the coloration of the legs and in between the segmentation. To top it off, this log also had some very large casebuilders It's alive, it's alive Here's a picture of the variety that lived in and on the log. Notice the little rockworms (?) and the caddis out of it's case To say that we learned something would be an understatement. The first 2 casts after the discovery of these larger stones produced fish. Here's a pic of the underside of these stones. I will be changing my patterns to emphasize the contrast. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Foersterhunter 0 Report post Posted March 23, 2004 cool find ralf and pat put it all together and you can solve alot of fishless days Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 Shoe it's good to see that you ran across a freshwater shrimp, I haven't heard to many of you MI boys talking about them so you may be onto something.....I wouldn't be spreading that around too much. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 I've seen the shrimp before but never thought they were around in such numbers until this find. I put on a stone imitation right after this and landed a chunky brown and a bugle nosed trout. I will be experimenting with stones to come up with a more realistic pattern. Notice the antennae aren't thick like biots that are use more often then not. Also the belly is light colored and has brown in between the segments and the legs are colored. I also noticed that the abdomen segments aren't very much compared to the rest of the fly. They are mostly wing pads and thorax. Most patterns focus on the abdomen which seems to be a mistake. They are also flat and wide rather than round. What a learning experience this trip was. Now if I can get over my fear of going in the water after seeing 3 of those monsters milling around. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 It really makes you want to use some of those mysis shrimp Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frank G. Swarner III 0 Report post Posted March 23, 2004 Those are great pics!! Especially the stonefly. Did you guys use a tripod to steady the camera? Thanks, Chip Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 Thanks Chip No tripod, we just got lucky. Actually we took about 16 pics and picked the best ones. Too bad it was so cold. I wanted to turn some rocks, but with temps below freezing I wasn't about to reach too deep. (the water was still up) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Foersterhunter 0 Report post Posted March 23, 2004 did someone say mysis Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 Mysis shrimp is a really common bug in the muskegon river, but almost all the patterns are white, yours appeared dark. What color was it in person and what size, roughly? Also what size were those stones. Great pictures guys. john Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 John That shrimp was quite dark, but somewhat translucent with a red spot on his back. I'm sure they take on the color of the environment. I would say an 8 The stones were almost a 2, at least a 4 3X long Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 Ralf, Amazing post, man! keep up the great work!! Loved all the pics! kinda gets the ol' heart racing when I think about the critters crawling around in my KY streams!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 Thanks Brother Hubbard Pat and I were like little kids on that log. We must have spent the better part of an hour checking it out. I'll have to get some type of "streamside guide" to insects and some vials to bring them home in What fun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 show, was the red spot on the outside of the shrimp or in the inside? I know that pregnant scuds have an orange egg sac smack dab in the middle of thier bodies. john Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 That could be what it was John. It was nearly directly on the backside near the middle of the shrimp under the shell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted March 23, 2004 I betcha it was, Size 8 on a scud hook? That is a big scud, bigger than I ever thought to tie. May just have to now though. I am really glad you two took the time and effort to photograph the stuff. What river were you on? John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites