This is the down and dirty version - of an FEB Skwala Stone. I expect to refine it before the Skwala hatch here in Western Montana starting in late February or early March. Haven't fished this hatch before, and haven't actually been able to observe a Skwala Stone in hand, so this prototype was tied to experiment with materials and technique. Whatever finally gets on the water around here will definitely be refined.



The two major changes from the FEB Salmonfly and Golden Stone flies that I tied last year, other than the significant downsizing, are using stripped stems of grizzly hen hackle for the tails and antennae for better proportion, and developing a twist on the technique for incorporating the tails in the extended body.



Regarding the new method for adding the tails, first, credit to BB member "tigfly" for recounting a technique that he used when playing around with the first furled extended body fly that I posted well over a year ago. I combined the technique I had originally used with the one that Glenn came up with for what should prove a better body / tail combination.

For more information on the two separate techniques, follow the link.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...ad.php?t=23242

Note Glenn's post #9 in that thread.

For the new Squalid Stone ( the name will be changed to protect the innocent once the final version is cleaned up ), I incorporated tying thread in the FEB as shown in the first post of the linked thread. After tying in the tails as shown in post #2 of that thread, I used Glenn's technique to pull the tails through the last loop of the furled extended body. THEN I used the incorporated tying thread to further secure the tails in place, and strengthen the extended body at the same time.

Once the fly got to the point of the FEB with incorporated tails tied in, it was built out just like the FEB Hopper, with the addition of the antennae. Might be easier to tie this fly, and get a cleaner look overall, by tying in the antennae first.

This prototype is tied on a size 12 standard dry fly hook. It is a bit bigger than the Skwalas around here, best I can tell from reading what is available on that insect, and talking to a number of local fly shop guys who have fished the hatch over the years.

John

P.S. That gaudy green foam will be the FIRST thing to go when I get beyond the prototype stage. The black tying thread will be the SECOND thing to go.