Got to start somewhere ....



.... and then get lucky to catch a live one ....



.... to use for a model ....



.... with the fishies' point of view in mind ....



A lot of folks will never have the opportunity to fish this hatch, which makes its appearance any day now on a good number of freestone creeks and rivers in the West. It is the first good size stonefly of the year ( with the adult measuring around .65 to .75 inches ) and brings out a hatch of rafts and drift boats to rival the hatch of skwalas.

Because the skwala has a somewhat limited range and is a stranger to many fly anglers, it is a bigger challenge, perhaps, than most FOTWs. Thus the models. It will be interesting to see what you all will do with this one.

John

P.S. I haven't fished the FEB Skwala yet, but I do have a high level of confidence in this yet unproven pattern since it is based on several other FEB flies which have been very productive.