Flies for Stonefly Nymphs in NJ and Nearby

[Petergoodman]

While I kill myself matching mayflies and caddis, my stonefly nymphs tend to be whatever I happen to have in my box, from whatever source. And I don't think this is just me - when I look in a flyshop catalog you are lucky if you see more than 2-3 options other than a Montana Stone or Bitch Creek Special. I get on a stream with pocket water and I tie on whichever stone nymph my eyes light on first - but no science on this at all.

If I were to break down stones and keep it reasonably simple, I would end up with the little black/brown ones in early Spring, Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones and Brown Stones. What imitations are you guys using around NJ? Dubbed body, chenile, Biot, Larva Lace over Yarn? Rubber legs or hackle tied in the round, or over the top ala Morris Stone? What sizes are predominent? Thanks.

 

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

Brown over yellow polish woven, size 8-12 kills for me. It can be so many things.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Kaufman stones are great and so is a zug bug. It is a great representation of many stone fly species. If you tie flies, I can recommend a couple that I twist up that do very well....golden oldie.....

 

[Trout Guy]

x2 on the zug bug. One of my all time favorites.

 

[JeffK]

I'm big into Princes and Zug Bugs too - can't have too much peacock herl. A few years back the hot stonefly pattern was Mercer's Poxy Stone. I don't do many epoxy flies anymore, but I have UV lamp now and should try them again because they did work.

I like to have a few tannish/creamish colored stonefly nymphs to mimic the shedders. Sometimes trout are really onto the fresh shed nymphs. I saw an underwater video of the Rapid R in Maine and the landlocked salmon were really keying in on the pale stonefly nymphs. Years ago cream nymphs were all the rage (like the Jersey Cream - a good NJ pattern), but these days fewer people are fishing softshell mayfly patterns. Softshell crayfish patterns as well, and they are a no brainer because if you use a soft shelled crayfish as bait it is hard to get the thing down to the bottom without being grabbed.

 

[JeffK]

Just thought of another one if you want to go old school - George Harvey's stonefly nymph. An easy tie. Update it with a gold bead. Size 10 is the mid range for this one. Developed in the 40's to catch tough limestoner browns, it's a simple guide style fly that still works.

 

[Barleywine]

Absolutely agree about Prince nymphs. They're excellent for the little dark stones early in the season, and they just flat out work all year long.

I'll have to try the George Harvey stonefly. Looks like a quick and effective tye. Harvey was one of the greats: his slack leader formula is tough to beat, and his simple deer hair carpenter ant pattern has produced a lot of fish for me.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Great info Jeff. The epoxy stones are true killers for sure. The u.v. does the job but the epoxy is tougher in the long run. The Harvey stone is truly a great simple pattern. I havnt tied any in some time, I will have to twist some up. I also like to carry lightly colored stones but what i cant stand is about after 20th drift there olive colored, they still work, but makes always laugh and say "i should have just tied olive ones" I am also a firm believe in two-tone flies, darker on top and lighter on the bottom. Brown trout seem to really dig the two tone.

Another simple tie and it is quite effective is the rubber band stone. Another one I havent tied and used for some time, and will have to revisit again this winter. And another great stone fly is Strolis's winter stone.

While I am not sure if you would call it a stone, but it does certainly produce well is the tellico nymph.

 

[Fredy]

The golden oldie does not exist :nose-picking:

The prince is my go to whore.