Fly of the Month
As stated in the March Fly of The Month, we inherited much of our fly pattern designs and fly tying from our English ancestors. We continue to provide a perspective on a few early fly patterns that were considered state-of-the-art at the time these recipes were documented. This month we have chosen a fly pattern that was considered highly effective for the spring time and specifically during April in England. We plan one more installment in this ancient series next month. We hope you develop an appreciation for these ancient flies that still catch trout today.
Ancient Flies - The Stone Fly
The stone fly hatches begin with the Tiny Early-Winter Black Stone, followed by the Early Brown Stone in March, overlapped by the Black Stone in April with both stone fly species continuing to hatch until late-spring into June. This ancient fly pattern, The Stone Fly is intended to imitate the spring time Black Stone, possibly the female of the Plecoptera ssp. species.
The Stone Fly was one of twelve fly patterns designated the fly to use in April or in the early season in Dame Juliana Bernes’ A Treatyse of Fysshynge with an Angle published in 1496. The original recipe was simple.
The Stone Fly
Body: Black wool,
with yellow under the wing and under the tail
Wings: Drake
Head: (not given, but assumed) Black thread
At that time, a gut fly was used. No eye, simply a piece of gut whipped to the hook shank. The thread was course, so the head of the fly was sizable as well. It is believed the fly pattern was simply a black wool thread body and four places where yellow wool showed visibly on each side under the wing and under the tail as if woven into the black thread. We of course tie the fly on a modern size 12 hook. The fly pattern most likely imitated the aquatic stone fly insect that would end up on the surface, floating downstream with wings spent or damaged and trapped in the surface tension.
To create the woven effect, several strands of yellow floss or wool are first trapped with the tying thread on both sides of the body and the anchor points are covered with black wool wrapping, then with the yellow fibers pulled back out of the way, the black wool is brought forward a couple of wraps with the tying thread. Then the yellow floss or wool is pulled forward over the black wool body on each side and anchored down with the black tying and the black wool. Thus, you end up with a segment of yellow wool forming a “window of yellow” on each side of the body. One set of windows under the tail and another under the wings. The yellow at the tail may have represented the egg sac of the female black stone fly. The yellow fibers run parallel to the hook shank and ninety degrees to the black wool body wrappings.
This fly requires an ancient technique we seldom use in modern times. However, the basic design with the black with yellow colors will work as well today as they did centuries ago. In the Southern Appalachians, the “windows of yellow” are like dots the trout key on and cannot resist.
The Stone Fly
Fly of the Month 6.17
…… recipe …….
…… instructions…….
… include the full modern equivalent recipes you develop…
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
S
As stated in the March Fly of The Month, we inherited much of our fly pattern designs and fly tying from our English ancestors. We continue to provide a perspective on a few early fly patterns that were considered state-of-the-art at the time these recipes were documented. This month we have chosen a fly pattern that was considered highly effective for the spring time and specifically during April in England. We plan one more installment in this ancient series next month. We hope you develop an appreciation for these ancient flies that still catch trout today.
Ancient Flies - The Stone Fly
The stone fly hatches begin with the Tiny Early-Winter Black Stone, followed by the Early Brown Stone in March, overlapped by the Black Stone in April with both stone fly species continuing to hatch until late-spring into June. This ancient fly pattern, The Stone Fly is intended to imitate the spring time Black Stone, possibly the female of the Plecoptera ssp. species.
The Stone Fly was one of twelve fly patterns designated the fly to use in April or in the early season in Dame Juliana Bernes’ A Treatyse of Fysshynge with an Angle published in 1496. The original recipe was simple.
The Stone Fly
Body: Black wool,
with yellow under the wing and under the tail
Wings: Drake
Head: (not given, but assumed) Black thread
At that time, a gut fly was used. No eye, simply a piece of gut whipped to the hook shank. The thread was course, so the head of the fly was sizable as well. It is believed the fly pattern was simply a black wool thread body and four places where yellow wool showed visibly on each side under the wing and under the tail as if woven into the black thread. We of course tie the fly on a modern size 12 hook. The fly pattern most likely imitated the aquatic stone fly insect that would end up on the surface, floating downstream with wings spent or damaged and trapped in the surface tension.
To create the woven effect, several strands of yellow floss or wool are first trapped with the tying thread on both sides of the body and the anchor points are covered with black wool wrapping, then with the yellow fibers pulled back out of the way, the black wool is brought forward a couple of wraps with the tying thread. Then the yellow floss or wool is pulled forward over the black wool body on each side and anchored down with the black tying and the black wool. Thus, you end up with a segment of yellow wool forming a “window of yellow” on each side of the body. One set of windows under the tail and another under the wings. The yellow at the tail may have represented the egg sac of the female black stone fly. The yellow fibers run parallel to the hook shank and ninety degrees to the black wool body wrappings.
This fly requires an ancient technique we seldom use in modern times. However, the basic design with the black with yellow colors will work as well today as they did centuries ago. In the Southern Appalachians, the “windows of yellow” are like dots the trout key on and cannot resist.
The Stone Fly
Fly of the Month 6.17
…… recipe …….
…… instructions…….
… include the full modern equivalent recipes you develop…
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
S