How to tie a Yellow Stone Fly

[Graham 0]

How to tie a stonefly

 

This is my first attempt at taking photos and putting together visual instructions for tying a trout fly. I used the lighting from my tying lamp and I left the camera in place, which was in my way, resulting in a less than perfect fly and photographs that are washed out looking. To make sure it wasn’t a waste of time, I’m posting the photos anyway.

 

This is what I want to try and copy, a Golden Stonefly:

 

 

 

Step 1: Attach yellow thread and spiral wrap the hook back to where the tails start. Put a small area of yellow dubbing where the tails attach, to help flare them out, tie on both tails (2 yellow elk hairs softex glued to 2 black elk hairs). Tie on some fine gold wire and a piece of 10ml clear plastic (1/8’ x 3”) colored yellow with brown on one edge (using Pantone markers).

 

 

Step 2: Yellow dubbing creates the shape of the abdomen

 

 

Step 3: Wrap the plastic over the dubbing then wrap the gold wire forward along the edges of the plastic.

 

 

Step 4: Tie on a piece of plastic (1/4” x 3) (yellow with brown edges) on top of the hook.

 

 

Step 5: Guinea feather fibers, pre-softexed together, will be tied on, after a little bit of yellow dubbing is applied.

 

 

Step 6: More yellow dubbing is applied over the leg tie in points on the thorax.

 

 

Step 7: Using a bodkin to keep tension on the plastic as it is tied down.

 

 

Step 8: Keep working forward and attach all six legs and folding the plastic over for each set of legs.

 

 

Step 9: As you can see, the amount of light from the tying lamp was too bright. Anyway, attach two antennae (thick moose main hairs) and two eyes (glass beads with melted mono) tied on over the top of the plastic.

 

 

Step 10: Apply dubbing in a figure 8 pattern around the eyes then pull the plastic over the top, pull to the rear and tie don behind the head.

 

 

A view from beneath

 

 

Step 11: Bend the legs to simulate joints. Use fine needle nose, with the tips held over a Bic-lighter-flame for about two seconds, to heat kink the legs.

 

 

Step 12: Using markers add a markings as desired.

 

 

If I was a fish I’d swim over and taste one of these morsels.

 

 

 

 

These are some of the pieces I make before starting to tie this fly:

 

 

 

[getholdofjoru 0]

This is pretty cool. I'd like to get more involved with the realistic tying. This is the first instruction I've seen for tying these types of realistics. Good job, the photos look fine, I had no problem discerning the steps.

 

Also love the tip on crimping the legs.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Very nice Graham

 

the pics arent bad at all ethier, and sweet looking yellow stone, using plastic such as that always gives me problems but i love the effect it gives the wing case. This just makes me want to try it again

 

SD

[vices 0]

Good job Graham, Great step by step..

[Guest]

Graham,

 

Man awesome work

 

Your pics make it looks easy........but I'm sure it's not.

[Graham 0]

Thanks guys.

 

Will, with a little practice they are not real hard to tie. They are more time consuming to tie than most stone fly imitations, but the trout in the Sierra have seen most imitations and these are my secret killer flies for these tough to fool trout. The flies below work great for larger Sierra trout especially the East Walker river.

 

 

They are kinda fun to experiment with, different sizes, colors, bead heads etc.

Tie it you'll like it.

[Kingfisher 0]

WOW!!! Thanks for such a great tutorial!

[Streamside 0]

Great Step by step Graham. Keep up the good work.

 

John

[Joe Hard 0]

Nice looking flies,have you ever tried using foam for a wingcase?this will help the fly suspend upright.

[CharlieD 0]

I love the realistic looking stones and that is a great one. Nice Job Graham.

 

Charlie

[tdeyette 0]

Sweet looking flies.....excellent pictures and tutorial

 

Thanks

 

Tom

[chucky 0]

WOW! Awsome step by step. I have to try this when I get my tying stuff back from storage.

 

Thanks Graham!!!

 

Chucky

[Graham 0]

Thanks again for the kind remarks!!!

 

Hey Chucky (fly-guy), I hope you do get your stuff out of storage and tie a few. I had kind of got burned out tying flies a few years ago and it was this forum that renewed my passion. It feels good to tie again.

 

Graham

[Toneloc 0]

Sweet Fly and step by step.....One question for you, where do you get the plastic at?

 

Tony

[Graham 0]

Great question, There used to be a product available called Flexibody but this is no longer on the market. Buy the plastic used for oil change stickers that self adhere to windshields. Too bad Flexibody is not available, they used to die the plastic in various colors. The plastic was also on top of card stock which made cutting it much easier.

 

Search around on the 3M web site to find it in bulk. There are companies that sell the stickers printed with your message, just ask for blanks. A google search brought up this company in Canada that sell "static cling oil stickers".

http://www.ecptime.on.ca/automotive_formso...gestickers.html

 

Graham