Little Yellow Stonefly Nymph

Little Yellow Stonefly Nymph

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Tying Instructions

1. Build a thread base on hook shank and attach two Golden Pheasant Tail Fibers extending 2/3’s the length of the hook shank and tie onto the shank above the point of the hook. At the base of the tail, also tie a piece of 3″ copper and a 1/4″ wide strip of Golden Pheasant Tail Fibers for a shellcase.

2. Dub a body using yellow Hare-Tron. Start with a thin application at the base of the tail and increase the body thickness up to the 2/3 position on the hook shank.

3. Bring the shellback over the dubbed abdomen and tie down. Wrap a copper ribbing with evenly spaced wraps and tie down. You can keep the copper wire from moving the shellback to the side by applying tension only above or below the shank, no tension from the sides.

4. Attach the strip of 3/8″ wide Mottled Turkey Tail as a Wingcase.

5. Dub a heavy thorax with the Yellow Hare-Tron.

6. Attach the legs on each side of the thorax with 6-8 fibers of Olive Mallard Flank. Adjust the length of the legs by pulling the tag ends of the mallard flank so the the legs are about 2/3’s the shank length.

7. Bring the wingcase over the thorax and tie down behind the eye.

8. Attach two Antennae using Pheasant fibers. The antennae should be about 2/3 the shank length and divided.

9. Whip-finish the head. Apply some head cement to the wingcase and shellcase and a drop of Super Glue at the butt of the tail to keep the tail divided.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	TMC 200R #14-16
Thread	Danville Yellow 6/0
Head	Danville Yellow 6/0
Weight	0.015 Leadfree wire
Body	Yellow Haretron Dubbing
Thorax	Yellow Haretron Dubbing
Tail and Antennae	Natural Pheasant Tail Fibers
Shellback	Natural Pheasant Tail Fibers
Wingcase	Turkey Tail
Legs	Partridge Fibers
Ribbing	Copper Wire

Mike Mercer

Little Yellow Stonefly Nymph

The Little Yellow Stonefly Nymph was designed by Mike Mercer of Redding, CA. Little Yellow Stoneflies, also known as Yellow Sallies, belong in the Isoperla genus of Stoneflies. They normally hatch between mid-May to August. They are found in many Sierran Freestone streams living in the riffles and runs of moderate to fast flows at mid-to-high elevations. The nymphs can live for 1-2 years within the bottom gravel of the streams.

Migration

Upon hatching, the little yellow stonefly nymphs crawl onto shore near dusk time and can be found on rocks and tree trunks. There is one species that does emerge directly in the water similar to a mayfly. During this migration, the Little Yellow Stone nymphs are common in the stream drift and nymph patterns are very effective.

Materials

Mercer’s pattern achieves a slender abdomen using dubbed Haretron, with the use of divided tails and antennas, and differentiating the wingcase and shellback with different width materials. Mercer’s pattern generally uses grouse for the legs, although I substituted Mallard Flank instead. Another Mercer touch, that you might see, is a drop of epoxy on the wingcase which also gives a more realistic representation of this feature when seen underwater.

Poxyback Little Yellow Stone

Hook	TMC 200R #14-16
Thread	Danville Yellow 6/0
Head	Danville Yellow 6/0
Weight	0.015 Leadfree wire
Body	Yellow Haretron Dubbing
Thorax	Yellow Haretron Dubbing
Tail and Antennae	Natural Pheasant Tail Fibers
Shellback	Natural Pheasant Tail Fibers
Wingcase	Turkey Tail and coated Loon UV Clear Fly Finish, Thick
Legs	Partridge Fibers
Ribbing	Copper Wire

Gold Bead Little Yellow Stone

Hook	TMC 200R #10-12 or Daiichi 1260 #10-12
Thread	Danville Yellow 6/0
Head	Gold Bead
Weight	0.020 Leadfree wire
Body	Yellow Haretron Dubbing
Thorax	Yellow Haretron Dubbing
Tail and Antennae	Olive/Black Flake Crazy legs
Shellback	Natural Pheasant Tail Fibers
Wingcase	Natural Pheasant Tail Fibers
Legs	Dyed Mallard Flank, Wood Duck
Ribbing	Chartreuse SM Ultra Wire