Early Black Stonefly Nymph?

[bohemianbob]

I keep hearing about the early black stone fly nymphs on the Beaverkill and Willow and I am wondering if anyone has the dressing for the nymph. I do not even know what size hook you would use. Thanks Bob

[Enemy_of_Carp]

I dont know about those rivers specifically, but we have them here in Ohio. They run about size 14 and I usually use a PT nymph or generic stonefly nymph. I usually use these steelhead fishing so Ive never actually tied a dry for one, but there were quite a few coming off the water about a week ago. They were rather tiny to be honest and the adult looked smaller than size 14.

I tie a GRHE in black, size 16 and that seems to work well for me.(Bead head also).

[BigFlatBrook]

Thin-bodied black GRHEs are very often used for little black stones -- size 18 may be a closer match than 16. They are most active during clear water conditions on sunny afternoons. The black color helps them absorb heat on those days.

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

I have a cd which shows how to tie a Montana Stonefly Nymph . It is black like the stoneflys around the Kootneys in Canada every spring , the recipe is ;

Hook #6 2x streamer
Thread black 6/0
Tail black hackle
Thorax yellow chenille
Body black chenille
Wing case black chenille
legs Furnace hackle

I have a 6 cd set called Expert Techniques for Creative fly - tying . It is one of the 53 patterns featured on the discs.

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

I've never tied one so I watched the video and the following is what I jotted down .

Use .02 lead , cover front half of the hook .
Make tail slightly longer than the hook gap .
Use medium black chenille for the body and tie to about 2/3 of the way forward.
Tie in 2 strands of medium black chennile for the wing case.
Tie in Brown or Black hackle shiny side toward you.
Tie in Yellow Chenille and wind to the front .
Wind hackle forward only about 3 turns , doesn't need too many legs.
Trim the top of the hackle off .
pull forward wing case and tie off.
whip finish and yer done .

Hope this is the fly you are looking for .
Cheers

[LadyFisher]

For those who have not found our Not Quite Entomology Section, all of the insects are shown, usually with the fly which imitates it, and the archive is set up in the order they appear over the season. Your black stonefly is the first one listed: [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/nqento/part1.html:191cd]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/nqento/part1.html[/url:191cd]

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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL