Does anyone have a pattern that isn't too difficult? I just tried some using a mix of materials. I don't have any pheasant tail other than one that is dyed olive. Trying to get by with hackle fibers, Ligas dubbing, peacock herl, some black marabou fibers, copper beads. If there is anything you highly recommend that catches fish, I will go out and get it. Right now I prefer tying with what I have if it can work. Is size 16 too big? I have 18 but only in curved caddis. Do you think copper is a good color to use for this fly? I don't see many flies tied with copper and I keep shying away from using them. Any insight is appreciated. The stones should be out soon!
Little Black Stonefly Wet/Nymph
- Thread starter riverwhy
- Start date
shortrod
Member
I have heard that a starling and herl wet fly can work. You could simulate a the starling with a dubbing loop and the black marabou fibers. Spin the loop wrap and trim to size.
shortrod
Member
Forgot to mention that the starling and herl or marabou and herl would be an imitation for the drowned adults.
Use whatever material you have on hand and feel good about it. Adhering to exact pattern recipes is pointless. That’s the beauty of tying your own. Hackle fibers are perfect for tails. Black dubbing is perfect for stonefly bodies and size 16 is fine. If you want to split hairs and make a smaller stonefly simply tie a smaller fly on the size 16 hook. You can use a cut up sandwich bag for scud back. I like the tightlines little black stonefly as well but you don’t have to use stretch tubing, just use dubbing. You don’t need rubber for legs either, just use short lengths of black thread. A bead is equally not needed if you have split shot or lead wire. Fish are not as smart as we like to portray them. Trout especially are no where near as smart as we think they are. If they are hungry and you present the fly to them properly they will eat it wether or not it is made with pheasant tail fiber, hackle fibers, Hareline scud back, a plastic bag, dubbing, stretch tubing or whatever. Enjoy the process and don’t get wrapped around the axle. Your quarry only has a brain the size of a bb.
Nocktavius
Well-known member
The trout mostly ignore this hatch anyway
Why would that be? I admit I am not out much that early in the year, at least not on good streams. But I do remember a very good day on the Seglock probably 20 years ago.
Nocktavius
Well-known member
Think it’s a combo card of it being still just a bit too cold and early for a good top water bite as well as the actual emergence happening fairly quickly and in a manner that makes the adults difficult for trout with an already fairly slow metabolism to pick off. If you think about the other major late winter hatches (BWO comes to mind) they’re typically vulnerable for a lot longer.
I will fish black colored nymphs like black PTs, smallish Pats and France flies tied with black or dark brown D rib and natural HE at this time with some luck so to say they ignore them completely is probably wrong, but I wouldn’t expect to be routinely mowing down fish with an elk hair surface pattern during this hatch. Honestly though, running a big fugly orange egg or some sucker spawn will outperform any of the above.
That's been my experience also.
I doubt that fishing a little black stonefly nymph will catch more fish than other popular nymphs, such as a beadhead Walts Worm or pheasant tail.
