How to Fly Fish With Stone Flies
Stone flies are found in streams that are clean, cold and well-oxygenated. Western rivers, especially those born in the Rocky Mountains, are good habitats for the fly, therefore; western streams have the largest hatches. Stone fly nymphs crawl out onto the land and emerge as winged adults. Water temperature triggers the hatch; the colder the stream, the later the hatch. Summer is the time for the main hatches. Fishing stone fly nymphs can be done in any season. Fishing dry stone flies is done when the hatch is on.
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Things You'll Need
- Fly rod
- Fly reel with sinking line
- Fly reel with floating line
- Leaders, 5X or 6X, 9 feet long
- Dry stone fly patterns
- Nymph stone fly patterns
Instructions
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1
Fish nymph patterns during the cold months while the stone fly nymphs are still on the bottom of the stream under rocks. Fish with a sinking fly line to get the nymph down on the bottom, where it will look like a natural nymph that has been swept up by the current.
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2
Cast upstream to a 10 o'clock position and let the fly sink to the bottom of the stream. Cast into riffles, on the downstream side of rocks, and in deep pockets of water where the current sweeps around a hole, as these are places where trout lay in wait for food to float to them.
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3
Bounce the nymph off the bottom of the stream. Hold the rod tip high and keep the slack line pulled in so the line is taut and you can see the action of the line. Trout will suck the nymph in, not hit it hard; anytime the line stops, jerk back on the rod tip to set the hook.
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4
Use nymphs when the hatch is on to imitate the nymphs that are making their way toward the bank to crawl out and emerge as adults. Cast the nymph as normal, but strip it back to the bank in short jerks imitating a nymph struggling against the current to reach shore..
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5
Cast dry stone fly imitations using a floating line. Cast to the upstream to a 10 o'clock position and let the fly ride along on the current, imitating a female stone fly laying eggs. Keep the rod tip up and keep the slack out of the line so the hook can be set when a trout takes the fly.
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6
Shoot out a cast low over the stream so the dry fly lands hard on the surface of the water, imitating a stone fly that has fallen on the water and can't get airborne again. Jerk the fly back and forth to simulate a thrashing insect. Keep the slack out of the line as trout will hit these hard.
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Tips & Warnings
Stone flies are big, clumsy fliers, often crashing on the water and thrashing around. Where a delicate presentation of a dry fly is necessary in most cases, it is not so when fishing a dry stone fly imitation. Hit the water hard with the fly and bounce it around; this is what the trout are looking for and they will grab the fly hard and violently.
There are many dry stone fly patterns available to match the hatch. Big dry flies with orange, yellow, or red on them in sizes 10, 8 and 6 are good choices. The Sofa Pillow, Orange Stone, and Golden Stone are proven fish catchers.
Western rivers have strong currents and can easily sweep a person downstream and pull them under. Wade slowly and with caution where the current is strong and fast.
Do not tie the ankle laces around your legs inside chest waders or hip boots. Should you fall into deep water, the boots will fill with water and pull you under. You need to be able to kick the boots off in order to get out of the water.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
