Bugskin Stonefly

[cphubert 0]

I was asked to provide a step by step to explain my stonefly. I hope this helps anyone interested you can easily change material to make it more suitable for you. I use Bug Skin only because I like the looks, it is soft after tied (and maybe in the fish's mouth?), it absorbs water for a more natural weight, and is easy to change the top bug color with a sharpie streamside. Con's it may not be as durable as the original. The original pattern used dubbing with a vinal ribbed abdomen and burned feather wing cases with mono eyes. The reason it is tied curled backwards is to imitate the stonefly when they tumble in the current naturally, I had the opportunity to watch this while helping TU & DEP stock stone flies to restore a stream every one of them tumbled out of the bucket in the current, eye opening for me.

Tying notes. I am left-handed my wraps will look different from yours, if you are a righty, wrap sections as you would normally the finished product will look the same. Fly tying should be fun not meant to intimidate anyone I certainly do not consider myself to be more than an average tyer that has tied a lot of flies. I have caught more fish with rough flies than "bin flies". I tie in stages and with notes to keep consistency in my patterns when I use to ty for others, old habits are hard to break. 

Pic 1 is the materials Hook Mustad 37160, wing burners, Bug Skin color of your choice, dubbing for underbelly and to provide profile, turkey biots for legs tail and antenna, bead chain for eyes

Pics 2, 3, & 4 I pretied to body with mono or lead wire (.025 # 6 hook is .035) wrapped to sides, superglued and allowed to dry, while drying I precut the bugskin burn the wing cases and cut the bead chain eyes width of cuts depends on hook size and wing burner size. 

Pics 5 & 6 hook dry, back in vise a dubbing ball to support and splay the tail, two turkey biots. Bug skin abdomen tied in and wrapped forward over dubbed profiled body.

Pic 7 & 8 rear legs tied in (turkey biots) covered with dubbing and rear win case tied in over.

Pics 9 & 10 side legs front legs and antenna tied in dubbing applied for underbody and to support the front wing case leave the dubbing loose under the wing case between the front and rear legs for finishing. 

Pics 11 & 12 tie in narrower strip of bugskin for head / collar. Tie in bead chain eyes. dubbing applied to head between chain and between legs. turn fly and inspect underbelly for good dubbing coverage and apply as required ending thread just behind front legs. pull collar back and tie in. whip finish or secure as you preferer trim collar for small flap. head cement and finished. 

[Sandan 0]

Nice, thank you

[partsman 0]

Yup, thanks this is very helpful, also very nice tying station!
Mike.

[niveker 0]

Excellent SBS - great looking bug.  

[chugbug27 0]

Thanks for posting, this is great stuff