Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York

Blue-winged Olives
Baetis

Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.

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Female Sweltsa borealis (Boreal Sallfly) Stonefly Adult Female Sweltsa borealis (Boreal Sallfly) Stonefly Adult

Lateral view of a Female Sweltsa borealis (Chloroperlidae) (Boreal Sallfly) Stonefly Adult from Harris Creek in Washington

I was not fishing, but happened to be at an unrelated social event on a hill above this tiny creek (which I never even saw) when this stonefly flew by me. I assume it came from there. Some key characteristics are tricky to follow, but process of elimination ultimately led me to Sweltsa borealis. It is reassuringly similar to this specimen posted by Bob Newell years ago. It is also so strikingly similar to this nymph from the same river system that I'm comfortable identifying that nymph from this adult. I was especially pleased with the closeup photo of four mites parasitizing this one.

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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.

Early Season NE Stonefly patterns

Vtbrowns57

Posts: 6

Vtbrowns57 on Mar 28, 2019March 28th, 2019, 5:51 am EDT

Does anyone have any suggestions for early season stonefly patterns for the Northeast that aren't to difficult to tie? I'm working with black goose biots, black/brown angora goat dubbing, and turkey feathers..

Thanks!!

-Alex

Martinlf

Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3047

Martinlf on Mar 29, 2019March 29th, 2019, 11:43 pm EDT

A very good Delaware River guide gave me a dry fly pattern years ago that he swears by. It's very simple: black or brown body of any dry fly dubbing, a downwing, caddis style, of clear/white zelon or antron, and hackle at the thorax to match the body color. Tie off the hackle and you're done. For nymphs any basic simple pattern will work. I just made mine up, with no fancy wingcase. I did use small rubber legs on some of them. For some ideas, use Google.

"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell

Vtbrowns57

Posts: 6

Vtbrowns57 on Apr 1, 2019April 1st, 2019, 8:27 am EDT

Hi Martinlf,

Thanks for sharing that pattern, i'll have to experiment and spend some time at the vise. I also like the small rubber legs for the nymphs as well.

Alex

Jmd123

Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474

Jmd123 on Apr 2, 2019April 2nd, 2019, 5:50 am EDT

Try an #12-14 Elk Hair Caddis tied in Early Brown Stone colors - a golden-brown body and a grayish brown wing & hackle. I had browns hitting this pattern in mid-April in the Rifle River here in MI some years ago (not this one!). Couldn't hook them though! Fortunately a nice 14-incher slammed a POG Bugger on my way down to the car - so hard in fact I thought it was a steelhead - and saved me from being skunked for the day...Good luck!

Jonathon

No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...

Crepuscular

Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920

Crepuscular on Apr 3, 2019April 3rd, 2019, 2:40 am EDT

Does anyone have any suggestions for early season stonefly patterns for the Northeast that aren't to difficult to tie? I'm working with black goose biots, black/brown angora goat dubbing, and turkey feathers..

Thanks!!

-Alex

Hi Alex. Welcome to Troutnut. Louis is right on with that simple Early Stonefly. Here is another:

Hook: any 1xl dry fly hook (I tie all my early season stoneflies on Hends 323BL #16 and #18) but use whatever size your bugs are.
Thread: Black or Reddish Brown 12/0 veevus
Tail: very short clump of dark dun or black cdc (about 1/2 the hook gap in length)
Abdomen: Dark Dun hackle palmered over black or mahogany dubbing.
Underwing: 6 strands of pearl crystal flash
Overwing: Light Dun Snowshoe hare tied to extend to just past the abdomen
Thorax:Dark dun hackle over black or mahogany dubbing

This is just a derivation of a stimulator, tied with materials that I find float better and is a little easier to tie. You can substitute CDC for the wing instead of the snowshoe.

Eric