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Artistic view of a Male Pteronarcys californica (Pteronarcyidae) (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Adult from the Gallatin River in Montana
Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica

The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.

Lateral view of a Male Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #308 in Washington
This dun emerged from a mature nymph on my desk. Unfortunately its wings didn't perfectly dry out.
27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.
Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or support the project for an enhanced experience here.

Feathers5
Posts: 287
Feathers5 on Mar 5, 2013March 5th, 2013, 4:42 am EST
My Floating Nymph Pattern idea.

Correct me if I'm wrong, please.

Tail: Gray Hackle Fibers
Body: Olive PT
Rib: Optional, Maybe XSM Olive Wire
Thorax: Brown/Olive Trout Hunter Dubbing
Wingcase or
Emerging Wing Bud: Light Dun (Gray) whatever, polyyarn, CDC, Snow Shoe, ETc.
Legs: gray hackle

I expect to be enlightened so don't worry about my feelings. I'm not as into these stages as you guys and I'm not sure of the colors.
Thanks,
Bruce
Sayfu
Posts: 560
Sayfu on Mar 5, 2013March 5th, 2013, 5:11 am EST

Your's sound good. I have been tying up my effective version of a BWO nymph fished in the film that has worked exceptionally well for me. I use a tiny (XSM) plastic bead on a #18 caddis/pupa hook so I get more gape, and it is a short shank so about a size # 20. I tie in some short PT tail fibers with a strand, or two of yellow, crystal flash in the tail. Then just a rusty brown # 70 denier (flat thread) for the abdomen. Next a bumped up peacock herl thorax, and now the key material IMO. Starling. I take a starling feather grasp the tip, and pull to the side the fibers that will be tied in. I wrap down the tip at the base behind the bead. The bead is a huge asset in tying the pattern. The tip then folds over the back, and I make sure it folds over the back angled up over the thorax. It becomes an emerging wing, and has a light color, a cream color on the end of the tip I like. Then I wrap the hackle behind the bead, and secure behind the bead. No lacquer in the eye, no crowding of the head, and I could not tie the action hackle without the little bead that becomes the head of the bug. Cast, mend, fish it through a seam of dimpling fish to BWO's and it has been deadly. Sure glad I air gunned and skinned out a starling a number of years ago. Whether it is a stillborn, or an taken as an emerger, the moving, glistening Starling hackle is the key IMO.
Entoman
Entoman's profile picture
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Mar 5, 2013March 5th, 2013, 8:18 am EST
Sounds like an interesting baetid emerger, Sayfu. What color bead do you use?

Bruce - You've pretty much described the original floating nymph. It was one of the first concepts proposed many years ago to address the reality that trout often take emergers, a tweener stage between nymph and dun at the surface. They've largely fallen out of favor out here, and I don't think much of the pattern as it misses on several counts imitating what's actually going on with the critter. I would advise a nymph like my Ripe Nymph or Tony's Bubble back CDC nymph to fill this niche, the latter tied on a light scud hook. There's only so much space in my box, and I think a dozen patterns to fish when this bug is active is ample:) Though I've long since abandoned it, I'm a continent away so what do I know? The most valuable opinions are those of your PA buddies (Tony, Louis, and Eric) and of course, the trout!:)
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman
Sayfu
Posts: 560
Sayfu on Mar 5, 2013March 5th, 2013, 11:52 am EST
I've used black, but I also like to use a copper bead just for the notion it creates a distinction between the head, and the peacock herl thorax, and metallic green starling hackle. I'm getting pretty good with my wrist rocket shooting the small steel ball ammo you buy for it. I have an ongoing confrontation with the squirrels that get in my bird feeder outside my living room window. They always out smart me, and I don't think I want to kill one anyway. I may try stalking a starling with it. There are a lot of feathers on a small starling skin.
Martinlf
Martinlf's profile picture
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047
Martinlf on Mar 5, 2013March 5th, 2013, 3:23 pm EST
Looks good to me, Bruce.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
Feathers5
Posts: 287
Feathers5 on Mar 6, 2013March 6th, 2013, 5:00 am EST
Sounds like an interesting baetid emerger, Sayfu. What color bead do you use?

Bruce - You've pretty much described the original floating nymph. It was one of the first concepts proposed many years ago to address the reality that trout often take emergers, a tweener stage between nymph and dun at the surface. They've largely fallen out of favor out here, and I don't think much of the pattern as it misses on several counts imitating what's actually going on with the critter. I would advise a nymph like my Ripe Nymph or Tony's Bubble back CDC nymph to fill this niche, the latter tied on a light scud hook. There's only so much space in my box, and I think a dozen patterns to fish when this bug is active is ample:) Though I've long since abandoned it, I'm a continent away so what do I know? The most valuable opinions are those of your PA buddies (Tony, Louis, and Eric) and of course, the trout!:)


I think I got that from the John Barr Emerger. I don't know much technical stuff about the stages of these macro organismns, but I'm learning. I have all of the books. I just have to study. If I read those biology books too much I begin to get the feeling I'm back in college. That gives me a bad feeling. I'm tying some different patterns for the fun of it. Antonio gave me a few ideas. Those Barr Emergers do work at the right time. I've had some great days with them. So many patterns, so little time.
Bruce
Entoman
Entoman's profile picture
Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604
Entoman on Mar 6, 2013March 6th, 2013, 12:17 pm EST
Hi Bruce -

Ah! I misunderstood you. It is my understanding that the Barr Emerger has a contrasting thorax to simulate the emerging dun and is usually tied (out here, anyway) on a curved hook to better simulate the proper posture. it is an excellent fly and many swear by them. I thought you were taking about the original "floating Nymph" that is basically just that - a unicolorous nymph body tied on a standard dry fly hook with dry fly hackle for tails and legs and with a tuft or ball of gray poly affixed to the top. My point was that baetis nymphs don't float on the surface stick straight with their wings bulging out of the split. The irony is the fly did/does catch fish, but so will any design from time to time...:)
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman
PaulRoberts
PaulRoberts's profile picture
Colorado

Posts: 1776
PaulRoberts on Mar 7, 2013March 7th, 2013, 7:17 am EST
Ach! I have two, but no time right now to share. :(

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