Episode 39: Pics and Patterns for Golden Stones

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.

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Episode 39: Pics and Patterns for Golden Stones is an episode from Angler's Entomology Podcast by Eric Frohmberg.

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This episode was published on Dec 28, 2019.

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