Dec 28, 2019
As I mentioned on the podcast, if you are in the Southern Maine area, on Thursday January 9, we'll be having a fly tying demo at Joshua's Restaraunt in Brunswick, ME from 6 to about 8. Bring your fly tying material if you want (and a lamp) or just come and learn about these insects in person and their imitations.
So, as I mention in the podcast, I'm referring to two families of stoneflies when I talk about "golden" stones - both Perlidae and Perlodidae. What draws them together is the fact that they have these tiger striped nymphs. Like this - where this one happens to be a Perlid:
One of the things that is distinctive about them is that you can often find their exuvia (discarded exoskeleton) on the rocks around a stream. This is a fun picture where not only do you see the exuvia of the Perlid stonefly, but exuvia of four other aquatic insects (including one on the Perlid) that hatched.
OK, so there are a ton of fun patterns that you can use to imitate these guys. Where it is worthwhile knowing that in both these families, not all members have this tiger striped pattern. Some are just plain brown or tan, and all these imitations can be adapted colorwise to match those stoneflies. Similarly, you can use all of these to imitate the generally smaller Perlodidae, where I would use a size 12-10 sized hook, or the larger Perlidae - 8-4 sized hook. So let's start with Charlie Brook's Montana Stone:
Hook: has to be pretty long - 2x or 3x.
Tail: Biots
Body: Brown yarn
Rib1: Yellow yarn tied in at head, wound back and then forward in a crisscross pattern
Rib 2: Gold wire - tied over yellow yarn
Thorax Brown yarn
Legs: Grizzly and brown hackle along with dun or white ostrich herl.
Here is Polly Rosborough's Golden Stone imitation:
Tail: Yellow dyed mallard, or teal, or wood duck
Abdomen: gold yarn or floss
Shellback: Yellow dyed mallard, teal or wood duck
Rib: Thick yellow thread, such as rod building thread
Wingcase: Teal neck feather
Legs Yellow dyed mallard, teal or wood duck
Ok, then you get to my flies. Here is one I call Eric's Acroneuria, I like it because it is simple materials wise.
Tail: stacked yellow and brown (or black) deer hair or buck tail
Body: wrapped butts of tail tied up to thorax
Rib: Optional gold wire
Wing case: butts of tail folded back and forward
Legs: Butts of tail folded down and trimmed to length and density
Head; Bead
Or Eric's Rubber Stone:
Tail: Brown rubber legs
Body: Yellow and brown rubber legs wound up to thorax
Legs: Brown rubber legs
Thorax: Brown dubbing
Wing case: Burnt pheasant church window feathers
Head: Bead
Lastly, here is a simple fly that sinks well, Eric's Bead Stone:
Head: Copper Bead
Body: Alternating yellow and brown glass beads
Tail: Rubber legs
Body: Rubber legs
Wing case: goose quill doubled over twice
You'll notice on some of these I have a single wing case and some a double wing case. Stoneflies, as you know, have two wing cases. When I tie one it is because I know the fish can't count.
OK, for the adults, remember that all these stoneflies can hatch into adults with all sorts of color patterns. Some of the Perlodidae hatch into light colored adults - best imitated by a yellow sally type fly. While a lot of the other stones hatch into something more brown or tan in coloration. (Where sometimes the "tan" of the body can be rather yellow).
To me there are two styles of stonefly adults that are worth tying - the active fluttering adult and the spent or drowned adult. I'll give examples of the fluttering adults first:
So, let's start with a classic fly, the Sofa Pillow:
Tail; Elk (or deer) hair
Body: yellow yarn or dubbing
Rib: Brown hackle
Wing: Elk (or deer) hair
Hackle: Brown - tied full
A similar great fly is the Stimulator:
Tail: Elk or deer hair
Body: Yellow dubbing
Rib: Grizzly or badger
Wing: Elk or deer hair
Thorax: Amber or orange dubbing
Hackle: Grizzly or badger
In terms of flies that sit more flush with the surface, here is a fly, that I typically tie in yellow sally type colors that works well for me. Not sure where it came from or what it is called:
Tail: Deer hair
Body: Dubbing to match natural
Rib; Cream or grizzly hackle; trimmed on top
Wing Case: Quill to match natural
Hackle: Grizzly or Cream
here is a cool pattern called a Silhouette Stone
Tail: Deer hair
Body: Gold or yellow dubbing over which is brown or tan raffia
Rib: Brown or ginger hackle trimmed on top
Underwing; Elk or light deer hair
Hackle: Brown or Ginger trimmed on top
Wing: Raffia also tied over thorax
This is a variation of John Blunt's Downwing Hornberg as described in Thomas Ames Jr.'s book Hatch Guide for New England Streams.
Thread: Black
Body: Flat Silver Tinsel
Underwing: Yellow Saddle Hackle Fibers (I used yellow calf tail for more body)
Wing: Woodduck Flank Feather, tied downwing
Cheeks: Jungle cock eyes (I omitted)
Hackle: Grizzly
And lastly, here is Matt Vinciguerra's Delaware Yellow Stonefly Wet
Thread: Black
Tails: Partridge hackle
Body: Yellow floss
Ribbing: Black thread
Wing: Bronze mallard or widgeon
Beard: Partridge Hackle
Thanks and talk to you next time.