1. Troutnut Forum
›
2. Fly Hatch Talk
›
3. Little Black Stonefly pics

Hey guys, went out on the Neversink for awhile today and had a look around, saw a lot of little dark flies, may be the little black stone fly? Hard to tell cuz looked like Caddis too. Looks like about a size 16? Any pics of available of this species would be great.


Thanks

If it’s caddis maybe Apatania? Not sure if too early right now for them thiugh

I saw the Little Black Stonefly (also called the Winter Snowfly) a couple of weeks ago in northern WI.

http://www.wiflyfisher.com/Little-Black-Stonefly-Hatch.asp

Thank you for the link w the pics!! This is clearly NOT what u observed today so must be caddis .

Trying Googling "chimarra caddis" that might be what you saw.

I guess you also posted on the SGM forum.

HTH.

Yes you are correct, I believe that I saw Chimarra thanks 😊

Little black stones should be showing up in these parts any time now. I have seen them in March on the Huron and Red Cedar Rivers downstate. Not this year, though! In fact, we have had absolutely zero insect life of any kind yet this year. Been a cold one and that's not over yet.

Jonathon

What are goodnikitation patterns for the little black stones and how would one fish them? 😊

I think maybe a dark Elkhair Caddis, black with grey wings? About a #14-16. Thing is, I've never seen fish surface feeding at this time of the year...? Too high, too fast, too cold? Here in MI I have never seen any dry fly activity (i.e. hatches heavy enough to bring fish up top) until we have some fairly warm weather - which we have none of this year. Early season is gonna be ssssslllllooooowwwwww around here...

The earliest dry fly activity I have ever seen here in MI was on the Rifle back in 2012, after a short winter and early spring, on the 13th of April. Early brown stones, imitated by a brown EHC, which brought three strikes but no hook-ups. Consolation prize was a beautiful 14-inch brown that slammed a streamer on the way back down to the car!

Hard to imagine right now...

Jonathon

Ok sounds good and I hear you about the lack of dry action early season so maybe fishing it wet could be productive?

Congrats for the brown

Thanks Johnathon,

I see Little Black Stoneflies all over the lower WB of the Delaware if I go up in mid April. I have seen them flying over the river and have seen fish rising to them while doing spring yard clean-up.

I tie them on a #16 dry fly hook, very simple, no tail, wrap a abdomen with black floss or black fur, tie in a hank of light gray or white Antron for the wing. Tie it so it lays down on a 45 degree angle, then 3-4 turns of a good black hackle. That is all there is to it.

Thanks Matt, you fish this pattern wet or dry?

It's a dry pattern, and one a favorite Delaware guide showed me years ago. It's a great pattern!