Yellow seal’s fur (or substitute).
Thorax: Hare’s ear.
Wing cases: Brown goose quill slip.
Legs: Grey partridge, dyed yellow.
STRIPED NYMPH
Hook: Nymph, sizes 12–16.
Thread: Black.
Tails: Pale ginger or honey hen hackle fibres.
Abdomen: Stripped peacock quill (the best marked come from the ‘eye’ feather).
Thorax: Hare’s ear.
Wing cases: Grey mallard quill slip.
Legs: Ginger hen hackle fibres.
SEPIA NYMPH
Hook: Nymph, sizes 12–14.
Thread: Black.
Tails: Black cock hackle fibres.
Abdomen: Black and dark brown fur, mixed (use a fine synthetic fur).
Rib: Black thread.
Thorax: As abdomen.
Wing cases: Black quill slip (e.g. crow).
Legs: Black hackle fibres.
TELLICO NYMPH
Hook: Wet fly, sizes 8–14.
Thread: Black.
Tails: Few fibres of guinea fowl (gallina).
Body: Yellow floss.
Rib: Peacock herl.
Shellback: Peacock herl.
Hackle: Brown hen.
Head: Black.
STONEFLY NYMPHS
Stonefly nymphs live only in the cleanest of rivers and lakes and in many parts of the world of trout fishing they are far less important in the diet of the fish than caddisflies and upwinged flies. However stoneflies are very popular among fly-tyers, partly because of their solid build that makes them good to imitate, partly because some species grow very large. Further, in some North American rivers, there are very large populations of big stonefly species, such as the giant stonefly Pteronarcys californica and the golden stoneflies Acroneuria pacifica and A. californica. So there the pleasure of tying big stonefly nymphs is closely linked with the pleasure of catching trout with them. Across the Atlantic, Europe has some big stoneflies (Perla and Dinocras species) but only in a relatively few rivers are the populations big enough to warrant carrying imitations of their nymphs or adults. It is interesting to note, however, that in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the large nymphs were collected and fished as bait in some rough British rivers. Not surprisingly most stonefly imitations have their roots in North America. They are worth trying in any cool, clean trout stream.
The first three, fairly simple tyings, are by Polly Rosborough (see here).
DARK STONE
Hook: Nymph, sizes 4–14.
Thread: Tan.
Tails: 4–6 dark brown feather fibres (e.g. pheasant church window feather).
Body: Light cream synthetic fur.
Shellback: Slip from dark mottled turkey tail.
Rib: Tan thread, doubled.
Wing cases: Dark brown feather slip (e.g. pheasant church window dyed dark brown).
Legs: Dark brown feather fibres.
BROWN STONE
Hook: Nymph, sizes 12–16.
Thread: Brown.
Tails: Few fibres brown feather fibres (e.g. dyed partridge).
Body: Medium brown fur or wool.
Shellback: A dark brown quill slip (e.g. dyed goose).
Rib: Brown thread, doubled.
Wing cases: Dark brown quill slip.
Legs: Tips of cock pheasant tail fibres.
YELLOW STONE
Hook: Nymph, sizes 10–14.
Thread: Amber.
Tails: Few fibres mallard dyed yellow-buff or wood duck.
Body: Dull yellow-orange fur or wool.
Shellback: Mallard dyed yellow-buff or wood duck.
Rib: Amber thread, doubled.
Wing cases: Mallard dyed yellow-buff or wood duck.
Legs: Tips of feathers used for wing cases.
