What is the correct fishing technique for fishing stoneflies that are migrating to shallow water to emerge?
It seems to me the nymph would be moving in the opposite direction( away from shore) no matter your casting position in the stream!
* I rarely fish stonefly nymphs. If I do its up/across dead drift, which really doesn’t satisfy my question.
Qg.
Very interesting question and I don’t have the answer, but I’m a little unsure on the logic that the stonefly would swim away from shore to emerge.
I understand that other insects swim toward a shore specifically to emerge. Damsel flys come to mind in that group.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that stoneflies head toward the shore in general to crawl out, and not always toward the most shallow part of the stream. They just need somewhere to crawl out at. Often they will get swept away in the current if they lose their grip on the bottom, which is why the down & across dead drift is often the best way to fish the nymphs. I often add subtle twitches to the drift to give the appearance of a struggling stone fly, and have been rewarded with strikes when doing so. Not sure of any other method to fish the nymph.
Joe
Quill,
There are two ways that I fish stone fly nymphs and the manner is determined by how I am fishing.
If you are drifting down a river in a drift boat, then fish them down deep and on a dead drift, much in the manner that Joe Valencic suggested. Have that stonefly right at the bottom, because that is where the real stoneflies are. You can often fish then close to the shore since that is where they are crawling to in order to climb out. However, they live across the whole bottom of a river and often do get dislodged and drift free for a bit until they can grab onto something. While the fish will key in on the ones crawling to the bank, they will gladly take a stonefly nymph anywhere in the river. So, work the areas where you would expect to find trout like underwater ledges, and seams and obstructions like rocks. I use strike indicators to work this method.
If you are on foot and working the river from the bank then start fishing your stonefly nymph or even a black Woolly Bugger, upstream of you and slowly work your way upstream. Use short casts as line control and fly control is critical. You are casting right up against the bank allowing your fly to drift free back towards you. Slowly take in a little line and raise your rod as the fly approaches you, then cast back upstream right against the bank again. Work only the same side of the river or stream where you are, if you want to work the other side then cross over and work upstream from there. Naturally, if you see a good looking ledge or rock, it never hurts to cast upstream of that object a few times as well to see if you can entice a fish. Move upstream a couple of feet and start casting again. There is nothing on your line except the fly so keep good line control so you can see or feel the take.
Good luck and good fishing.
Larry 
—sagefisher—
I happened to hit the little brown stoneflies migrating to shore one evening in Colorado on the South Platte right at dusk. The trout were waiting in ambush in the skinny nearly still water near the banks.
I cast an unweighted nymph cast very delicately upstream. When the nymph dippled the surface the a wake would take off like freight train and then turn around and come backand gobble up my nymph. It was a heart attack every time it happened.
It was one of those unbelieveable evenings that are a rare gift
I think some of you misunderstood my post.
Most stoneflies ‘migrate’ toward shore to emerge( rocks,shoreline). That means the nymph is moving away from you if you are in the stream and casting toward that shoreline or bank.
The nymph you are fishing will be moving away from the bank and moving toward you; which is the opposite direction of the real stonefly.
So as ‘sagefisher’ stated, casting toward shore and drifting the nymph downstream seems to be the closest simulation of the emerging nymph near the shoreline.
I hope that clears things up.
Qg.
Quill,
Sagefisher addressed the middle of the river [using a boat] issue and also fishing the bank. If it is a big concern to you …can you just wade to the bank and work there?
I understand what ‘sagefisher’ and ‘Joe V.’ stated and I have used Joe’s method.
I was just looking for the best method to simulate actual emergent conditions.
It appeared that some mis-interpreted my understanding of how stopneflies emerge.
I was just trying to clarify that thought.
- If you question was for real… no!
I wasn’t being sarcastic , Quill. It just seems to me that if you want to simulate what is actually[mostly] happening you are going to have to be standing on the bank and casting toward the middle…a little upstream.
I think sagefisher described it as most would do…at least out here.
Who knows…maybe the simulation would get great results.
Hi Dave - A little explanation may be of help. Trout must take in more calories than they expend searching for food, or they won’t live long. While there are always exceptions (like a big fish ambushing a larger prey item, or a fish rising to the surface for dries and emergers), a successful trout will typically hug the bottom, where the current speed is lower than higher up in the water column. They seek out feeding lies (places where the food comes to them, instead of them wasting energy swimming around feeding), and prime lies which offer the advantages of a feeding lie with the benefit of a sheltering lie. They usually face upstream and wait for food items to drift down to them in the current. Trout seek out sheltering lies to hide from predators.
All that said, typically I’d recommend an upstream cast followed by a dead drift presentation like Joe and Larry described above. In my PM to you a few days ago, I mentioned having some immitations of very large golden stoneflies - I was referring to dry fly immitations. When those hummingbird size bugs start laying eggs on the Pine, and the fish key in on them, you’ll want a huge dry fly on real quick. Like a size 4 or 6 yellow stimulator, I kid you not.
You shouldn’t be overly concerned trying to fish immitating a nymph crawling toward the shallows, as the current would make that pretty much an excercise in futility. When nymphing, concentrate on immitating the nymphs that become dislodged and are drifting in the current. Use the current to your advantage, instead of fighting it.
FWIW - I don’t really know how to fish, but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Express… 
Hi Ed,
I fish stone flys a good bit,almost always in a good current flow.
Fished under an indicator.
for the egg laying adults,you got it a big Stimmy is the ticket!!
Last year on the Pine had the big dark buggys come back to dap , I used a size 4
picket pin loaded with fletch lite feather drying powder.
Well I was using that same picket pin with 2 #5 shots in Flyman 3’s run the other week
fished under the bopper.
BOPPER--( 2 1/2 " long hot pink or lime green foam float)
Bruce
Quill -
I haven’t fished your neck of the woods, and I don’t know what specific kinds of stoneflies you have in mind. That being said, I would agree with those who have pretty much said don’t worry about the direction of travel of the emerging nymphs, think in terms of good trout lies.
Out here, I generally fish large stonefly nymphs - think the big salmonflies and golden stones. Those are typically sizes 4-6 on 4x long hooks and 6-8 on 3x or 4x long hooks, respectively. When the nymphs begin to emerge, and they do crawl to the shore to climb out for the actual emergence, the fish are still going to be in good holding water taking what comes to them.
I fish large stonefly nymphs almost exclusively over the winter, and “always” with an upstream or up and across cast dead drifting as current and depth conditions permit. It is not unusual to catch fish below my casting position, but it is still the result of an upstream cast and a dead drift presentation. I don’t use the same tactics Larry describes - I fish long drifts under an indicator, sometimes casting 30-40’ upstream and drifting the fly to 20-30’ below my position, thinking in terms of holding water, not concentrating on the bank.
Later in the day, trout will commonly move to shallower water near the bank. So you might concentrate on water closer to the bank in late afternoon or evening as a general tactic, not just because of the direction of travel of the nymphs.
I don’t change the tactics because of an impending stonefly emergence. I just expect more action because there is more likelihood that the nymphs will be in the drift and the trout will be keying on them.
John