This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Dette Yellow Stonefly Nymph.
I pulled out Mike Valla’s The Founding Flies and paged through to locate an interesting fly for this week’s post. The Dette Yellow Stonefly Nymph spoke to me.
Walt and Winnie Dette are known for their beautiful Catskill dry flies. At least that’s what I think of when I hear their names. I chose to tie their nymph because it was different.
The fly can still be purchased from Dette Flies, established in 1928, in Livingston Manor, NY.
I’ve highlighted several flies from the Dette’s in previous TBT posts. I’ve linked a few of my favorites below:
Here is a link to Mike Valla’s book The Founding Flies where he dedicates a chapter to the Dette’s. I found today’s fly here.
This is a link to Eric Leiser’s book about Walt and Winnie Dette and their daughter Mary Dette Clark and their impact on classic Catskill flies. The book is entitled The Dettes – A Catskill Legend (1992).
The following information is from the Dette Flies About Us page on their website:
Established in 1928, Dette Flies is the oldest family run fly shop in the world, now in our 94th year. Our mission has always been, and always will be, to supply the fly fishing community with the finest products and service. Every fly we sell is either tied in house or by a handful of select domestic tiers.
In Spring 2018 to commemorate 90 years in business we opened a larger location in Livingston Manor with the goal to provide a welcoming space to display our ever growing selection of flies, fly tying materials, and fly fishing gear. Our inventory is solely comprised only of products that meet our demand for high quality standards. The Roscoe shop is closed and is our private residence.
Materials
Hook:
Mustad 9672, #10 – 14
Thread:
White 6/0 waxed to beige
Tail:
Fibers from center tail of ring-necked pheasant
Wingcase:
Barred lemon wood duck section pulled forward
Body:
Pale yellow wool
Thorax:
Same as body
Underbody:
Lead wire
Rib:
Brown nymph thread
Legs:
Brown partridge hackle
Head:
Brown lacquer
Personal tying notes:
- Tied of TMC 5263
- Used two strands of light yellow wool for body
- Used embroidery thread for rib
Enjoy…go fish!
(John Kreft is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.)
John,
Your beautiful photography is second only to your tying skills (both are off the charts!!)…great tie here. Perhaps it is my own monitor/graphics card, but the body of the fly looks like an “off white.” When you say pale yellow wool, was the shade you used more off white or in the very light yellow range?
Thanks!
Thanks for the Comment, Glen. I appreciate your feedback about my photography as well as my fly tying. Yes, the body is a very light yellow. I could see where you think the body might be white.
John