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True Fly Genus Atherix (Watersnipe Flies)

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» Genus Atherix (Watersnipe Flies)

4 species aren't included.
Common Names
MatchCommon Name
****Watersnipe Flies
***Snipe Flies
Pictures Below ↓
I have never seen these flies mentioned in a fly fishing book, entomology-oriented or otherwise. However, a large number of their larvae turned up in my early-July kicknet samples on the Gallatin River near Big Sky, Montana, which led me to photograph one and search Google for mentions. A couple other angler-scientists have written about them online:

John Newbury has blogged about imitating the larvae of Atherix with some success after finding quite a few in samples of other big western rivers like the Madison.

Rick Hafele has likewise written about finding good numbers of larvae on Montana's Big Hole river and having success fishing a green rockworm imitation (designed to imitate Rhyacophila caddisflies, which have a similar size and color if not precise body shape).


Pictures of 3 True Fly Specimens in the Genus Atherix:

Atherix (Watersnipe Flies) True Fly LarvaAtherix (Watersnipe Flies) True Fly Larva View 3 Pictures
Collected January 14, 2004 from unknown in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on January 25, 2006
Atherix (Watersnipe Flies) True Fly LarvaAtherix (Watersnipe Flies) True Fly Larva View 2 Pictures
Collected March 13, 2005 from Cascadilla Creek in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on April 5, 2006
Atherix (Watersnipe Flies) True Fly LarvaAtherix (Watersnipe Flies) True Fly Larva View 8 Pictures
Collected July 2, 2019 from the Gallatin River in Montana
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on July 18, 2019

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