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November 2000by Rich
Johnson
Black Stone (nymph)
Notes: This pattern was designed to imitate a stonefly that is
prevalent mid June, the opening of trout season, in south central Alaska.
The Pteronarcella (cousin to the much larger and more famous Pteronarcys)
is one of the largest insects in Alaskan waters in the spring. These
particular stoneflies are vegetarians, so look for them in the stream
grasses in slower current areas. “Stoneflies” by Richards/Swisher/Arbona,
1980 discusses these insects on pages 61-62. The pattern I tie was heavily
influenced by Dave Whitlock’s patterns. Fish them along the cut banks
and side eddies. They have a one year life cycle and hatch in June, so
early season is the time to have a few of these big babies in your box.
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Hook: #8 3XL
Weight: .025 lead
Thread: 6/0 Black
Tail: Goose Biots, black
Rib: Fine wire, copper
Abdomen: Dubbing, black; with black raffia over the
top
Thorax: Dubbing, black
Wing case: Raffia, black
Legs/Gills: Hen hackle, black/ostrich herl, gray
Head (optional): Ostrich herl, gray/ Raffia, black
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1) I originally tied this fly on a low water salmon hook, and it looks very stylish on such an iron. However, since the introduction of curved style hooks like the Tiemco 200R, I’ve switched a few of my patterns to this style hook.
Begin by wrapping lead in the front third of the shank (thorax area). Secure with thread. (Although many stone fly patterns call for the lead to be lashed along the sides creating a oval/flat nymph, the insects I’ve collected are more round in shape.)
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2) Tie in and bind to the rear both black raffia (swiss straw) and fine copper wire. The wire should stay to the backside of the shank, while the raffia needs to stay centered and on top of the shank. You may wish to do the in two separate steps.
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3) Dub a thin layer of fur (I’m using rabbit) forward to about where the point is on the shank.
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4) Lash on a black biot on each side of the shank. Keep the tails very short. Do not use a lot of thread pressure as you do not want to flair the tails. The first layer of dubbing should give the enough width.
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5) Now dub forward to create an even abdomen.
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6) Bring the raffia forward across the top of the abdomen, tie down and rib with wire. Tie off the wire and cut excess. (The raffia should help separate the tails and cover the top third of the body. The raffia may require some manipulation to lay smoothly.
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7) Fold the raffia back against itself and secure with a couple of wraps. Tie in a single strand of gray ostrich herl and a prepared hen hackle by its tip.
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8) Apply dubbing on the rear half of the thorax. Bring the ostrich herl forward with three or four wraps. Tie off and trim excess. Spiral the hen hackle forward with 1-1/2 to two wraps. Tie off and trim excess. Cut all the fibers off the top of the thorax. Bring your thread to the mid-point of the thorax area
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9) Using your bodkin, hold the raffia in place slightly behind the thorax tie-in spot and fold it forward over the area you just created. The raffia should be just a hair wider than the thorax at the rear and pinched to a point at the tie in spot.
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10) Tie down the raffia and continue thread wraps to the front of the thorax area. Leave an eye width behind the eye for the head.
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11) Fold back the raffia and secure rearward. Tie in a second set of ostrich herl and hen hackle. Apply dubbing to the front half of the thorax area.
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12) Wrap the ostrich herl and hen hackle, tie off and trim. Cut fibers from the top and create a second wing case with the raffia. Secure with 5 or 6 wraps. Trim the hackles from the bottom of the fly so that the legs are protruding from the sides only.
(Steps that follow are optional.)
Tie in a third ostrich herl. wrap a fuzzy head and tie off, half hitching the thread on the hook shank underneath the raffia. Trim excess herl and whip finish on the hook shank under the raffia. Trim the raffia at the front of the eye so that it extends over the eye in a small triangle.
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