Brooks’ Stonefly Nymphs

Brooks’ Golden Stone Nymph

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Tying Instructions

1. Apply lead-free wire wraps from the end of the shank just above the hook point to the 80% mark behind the eye. Attach the thread at the bend of the hook and secure the end of the lead-free wire.

2. Wrap the lead-free wire back towards the rear to form a second layer to the midpoint of the shank. This will be the thorax region.

3. Wrap the lead-free wire with thread to firmly secure and apply head cement to those wraps. Bring the thread back to the bend of the hook.

4. Secure two Goose biots on each side of the shank at the bend of the hook. These will naturally split to a 45 degree angle.

5. Attach the yarn and the ribbing at the tail tie-in position and secure the tag ends along the abdomen region up to the thorax.

6. Wrap the yarn forward with tight smooth wraps covering all of the lead-free wire up to the thorax.

7. Counter-wrap the ribbing with evenly spaced wraps up to the thorax and secure with thread wraps. Clip off the tag end of the wire ribbing.

8. Prepare two hackles by stripping one side of the fibers. This would be the right-hand side of the hackle with the shiny side facing the eye of the hook. The two hackles are attached to the base of the lead-free wire wrapped thorax side by side. Below the hackles, attach two Ostrich Quills and secure with some thread wraps. Bring the thread to the front of the thorax.

9. Wrap the yarn forward over the thorax region. Since there is an abrupt edge at the front of the thorax, you may need to use thread wraps to control the yarn from slipping. Apply a couple wraps in front of the thorax and secure with thread wraps. Trim of the yarn tag end.

10. Wrap the two hackles forward with two complete wraps. Secure hackles with thread wraps behind the eye and trim off the tag ends.

11. Wrap the two Ostrich quills along the base of the hackles. Wrap up to behind the eye and secure with thread wraps. Trim off the tag.

12. Create a large head with thread wraps. Whip Finish and apply head cement.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	Daiichi 2220 #6-10
Thread	Danville Brown 6/0
Head	Danville Brown 6/0
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Sulphur Orange Hand Spun Wool
Tail	Amber Goose Biots
Thorax	Sulphur Orange Hand Spun Wool
Gills	Gray Ostich Herl
Legs	Grizzly & Brown Hackle
Ribbing	Gold Wire

Brooks’ Stonefly Nymphs

Major Charlie Brooks is probably best known for his Brooks’ Stonefly Nymph patterns which he developed along the Yellowstone River during his retirement years from the U.S. Air Force. Charlie was one of the first fly tiers to study the stoneflies from underwater. He noted that a trout will approach a nymph only if it behaves the same as the naturals. If the fly moved in an erratic way, it would be ignored.

Tying in the Round

A key aspect to behaving naturally, was that the nymph drifted in an upright position just off the bottom with it’s back always on top. Thus, trout primarily only saw the nymph’s back. If a nymph pattern was to tumble through the current showing contrasting colors of the top and bottom, the trout would shy away from this presentation. Thus, Brooks’ Stonefly patterns were designed by “tying in the round”.

The prominent Hackles and Ostrich Herl circumference the thorax and there is no distinction between the bottom or top of the fly. These hackles and herl represent the legs and gills as the stonefly is tumbling down a streambed. They are highlighted when contrasted with a darker body and were wrapped twice around the thorax region. Brooks’ Stones are also heavily weighted. The lead-free wire makes up much of the bulk of the body.

Salmonfly Nymphs

Charlie was known to tie most of his stones with a scruffy appearance and utilized many variations to the pattern. The above pattern with a Rusty Brown coloration of the body can represent both the Salmonfly in sizes 6-8 or the Golden Stonefly nymph in sizes 8-10. The Amber Goose biots for the tail are fine for the Golden Stone but I would use Dark Brown Biots for a Salmonfly Nymph. The Brooks’ Montana Stone in sizes #4-8 is a good representation of the Salmonfly Nymph. Most of the Brooks’ Stone patterns will use Goose Biots or Quills for the tail. However, Charlie’s original pattern used six Crow or Raven Wing Quills.

Life Cycle

Salmonfly nymphs will inhabit the stream for 2-4 years and migrate once the water warms to about 50 degrees. The migration will start on the lower reaches of the stream and will work upstream. The nymphs will move during the late afternoon and early evening from the riffles to the shallows and eddies of the shore. During the night, they will crawl onto the rocks and foliage along the stream to emerge from their shucks. During this 4-5 day migration, nymphs often become dislodged into the current. Use a drag-free drift along the feeding lanes. The fly needs to have enough weight to bounce along the bottom. The Brooks’ Stone, being a very heavy pattern, does a good job in getting to the bottom quickly.

Golden Stonefly Nymphs

The Brooks’ Yellow Stone represents the Golden Stonefly, Acroneuria pacifica, tied in smaller sizes (# 6-10) than the Salmonfly Nymph. His Yellow Stone has a yellowish brown body. Two ribs of Gold Wire and Gold Yarn give the fly durability and segmentation. The gold wire rib is tied in at the tail and wrapped forward. The Gold Yarn Rib is tied at the thorax, wrapped back to the tail , then forward again. The tail is composed of 2 Turkey quill segments tied with a V style split. Brook’s Little Yellow Stone represent the Isoperla stoneflies or Yellow Sallies. It has a much smaller abdomen and thinner profile.

Brooks’ Montana Stone

Hook	Daiichi 2220 #4-8
Thread	Danville Black 6/0
Head	Danville Black 6/0
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Black Uni Yarn
Tail	Black Goose Biots
Thorax	Black Uni Yarn
Gills	Gray Ostich Herl
Legs	Grizzly & Brown Hackle
Ribbing	Copper Wire

Brooks’ Yellow Stone

Hook	TMC 5263 #6-10
Thread	Danville Brown 6/0
Head	Danville Brown 6/0
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Brown Uni Yarn
Tail	Cinnamon Tip Turkey Quill Barbs
Thorax	Brown Uni Yarn
Gills	Gray Ostich Herl
Legs	Grizzly & Brown Hackle
Ribbing	Gold Uni Yarn and Gold Wire

Brooks’ Little Yellow Stone

Hook	Daiichi 2200 #12-14
Thread	Danville Brown 6/0
Head	Danville Brown 6/0
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Gold Uni Yarn
Tail	Amber Goose Biots
Thorax	Gold Uni Yarn
Gills	Grey Dun dyed Ostrich Herl
Legs	Ginger
Ribbing	Gold Wire