Here is the fly pattern sheet for the RiverKeeper Stonefly Nymph.
Materials | |
Hook: | Dai Riki 700B, #8 – 2 |
Bead: | Black – 4.0 to 5.0 mm |
Weight (Optional): | Lead wire |
Thread: | 6/0 black |
Antennae: | Goose biot, black |
Tail: | Goose biot, black |
Rib: | Wire, black |
Shellback: | Thin Skin, black |
Body: | Black dubbing |
Legs: | Rubber |
Thorax: | Black dubbing |
Wing pads: | Thin Skin |
Directions
- Start thread on hook and tie in antennae over hook eye. Whip finish and cut thread.
- Slide bead on hook. Start thread again and cover hook shank. This will provide a base to prevent the lead from sliding.
- Attach a straight piece of lead to each side of the hook shank. Doing so will help to make the body wider. Wind 15 – 20 wraps of lead wire on the shank and double-wrap over thorax area with another 8 – 10 wraps of lead. Flatten wire with pliers to create wide profile.
- Dub over the lead with body-colored dubbing. This will help create a smooth body.
- Position thread at barb and add a small ball of dubbing. Attach biot tails in front of the dubbing ball to help split tails.
- Tie in rib.
- Tie in shellback shinny side down.
- Dub thick body to the 60 percent point.
- Bring shellback forward and tie off at thorax. DO NOT TRIM.
- Wind wire rib forward, using 5 – 6 wraps. Trim wire.
- Tie legs on each side of body.
- Pull Thin Skin material back over body so it is out of way. Dub thick thorax.
- Pull Thin Skin forward and slide material backward to create flap. Tie down tightly with 4 – 5 thread wraps. Dub over thread wraps and pull Thin Skin back again. Add more dubbing to create another thorax section. Pull Thin Skin forward and slide backward to create 2nd flap. Repeat to create 3rd flap.
- Finish with more black dubbing to cover remaining thread. Whip finish.
Using Thin Skin – I use a straight edge and knife to cut the Thin Skin into proper width. Tie in with shinny side down. When pulling forward, shinny side will be on top.
Lead – use lead about the same diameter as hook.
Dubbing – I’ve used a Kaufmann blend in the past because of the multitude of colors creating the blend. Recently, I’ve started to mix Spirit River UV2 dubbing with the Kaufmann blend at a ratio of 50/50.
Tie this fly in different sizes to imitate various stonefly nymphs.
The one improvement I would suggest for this stonefly nymph pattern or any other is to use the dubbing mix designed by Randall Kaufmann. It really makes a visable difference. The blend is 60% angora goat in black, purple ,claret, red, amber, fiery brown, blue and orange, and 40% black haretron ( rabbit fur and antron mix). His original mix called for seal fur in place of the angora goat hair.
Bruce
Thanks for leaving a Comment about the RiverKeeper Stonefly Nymph.
As I mentioned in the instructions, I use the Kaufmann blend of dubbing when I can find it. I totally agree with you the success of the nymph can be attributed to the mix of colors in the dubbing. Randall didn’t have UV materials available when he created the original fly. I’ve since added a little of that as well.
John