The stonefly is one of the most abundant river bugs. It comes in many different sizes and colors. These flies are one of the main food sources for trout and other river fish. They are a large meal, and they are always available to trout.
Stone flies are one of the best choices when nymphing (fishing subsurface flies). You can fish them in small, medium, and larger sizes, and trout will bite them year-round.
Pats Rubber Legs, 20 Inchers, Copper Johns, and large Pheasant Tails are some of the best stonefly nymphs available.
This article will show you some of my favorite stone fly nymphs and explain why they work so well. Whether you're in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, the East Coast, etc., Trout will eat stone flies in your local rivers. So get some!
#1 - Pats Rubber Leg Stone Fly
This is one of the most classic stonefly patterns. It looks very realistic and very simple. The hook shank is wrapped with lead wire to get the fly to sink fast. The body is made of chenille, and the legs and antennas are just rubber leg material. This can be sili-legs or sexi-floss, etc.
If you're unsure of which stonefly to use, start with a Pats Rubberlegs. It comes in many different colors and sizes. Sizes #10-#14 are the most popular with this fly. I really like fishing the black/brown version, but you can play around with endless color schemes. It comes in olive, purple, black, beige, etc. You can also select your own chenille and tie your own Pats.
The lead-wrapped body allows this fly to sink more than other flies. This will get it in the strike zone faster than other flies. This is great for fishing deeper water, as well as faster water. You can either wrap lead on part of the hook shank or the entire hook shank - depending on how heavy you want it.
The Pats work well because they look like many types of stoneflies. You can fish them in different states; the trout will believe them to be real.
#2 - 20 Incher Stone Fly
This is another great stonefly pattern for all western rivers. It just looks buggy and has been around for a long time. Although it's a simple pattern, it imitates a stonefly extremely accurately.
I like to fish the tungsten bead version to get the 20 Incher down fast. In the summer months, I will fish larger sizes, #10s and #12s. I will go down to a #14 or #16 for winter fishing.
The 20 Incher is a fly that never gets old. It will catch trout just about anywhere.
This fly can be found in any Western fly shop across America. If they don't have it, you should question their credibility!
I like to fish the unweighted version for shallower riffles and runs since it sinks slower. I will often add just a bit of a split shot to sink it. I like to go with the tungsten version (pictured above) for deeper runs.
#3 - Copper John
The Copper John doesn't imitate just one bug in particular. It can be used for mayfly imitations as well as stonefly imitations. The green ones can even work for caddis imitations.
This John Barr pattern is one of the most famous trout flies ever. It just works well, and it comes in many different colors. I like to fish the Copper John in black for my stonefly imitations. Many of our stoneflies in CO have a darker hue, and black works well for me.
The Copper John isn't that heavy in smaller sizes. However, it is very heavy in sizes such as #10 or #8. This allows it to sink fast and enter the trout zone.
It is best to carry Copper Johns in multiple sizes and colors so you can be prepared for different scenarios. However, I usually fish a #16 in black. Try out different colors and see what works best for your local waters. Sometimes, trout will key in on a specific Copper John, which can provide some amazing fishing.
#4 - Large Pheasant Tails
The Pheasant Tail is a fly that can imitate tons of insects. In smaller sizes, it can make a great BWO imitation. However, it can look like a stonefly nymph in larger sizes. Fishing a #10 or #12 tungsten Pheasant Tail is one of my favorite stonefly patterns. It is not overly realistic, but trout really eat it.
Sometimes it is best to fish a fly that isn't super realistic. The large Pheasant Tail has the general profile of a stonefly, but it can look like many other bugs. I like to fish it with a CDC collar. This "Cul-De-Canard" soft hackle has lots of movement in the water, which can entice a bite from trout. If I want my flies to look buggy, I will usually add some soft hackle. CDC works very well for this.
In the photo above, you can see that the CDC wraps around the entire bead. Once it gets wet, it flows very smoothly in the water.
#5 - Jigged Stoneflies
There are many different ways of tying a jigged stone. Jig flies ride upside down, so the hook is facing up. This prevents snags from happening. It means your fly can slide over rocks and debris without getting hooked. Jigged flies are super popular nowadays, and for good reason.
The jigged stone above is a pattern I tied. I found a similar recipe on the internet and tried to imitate it. The 3/16" tungsten bead is extremely heavy, which gets this fly down fast. The size #10 hook has a large gap, improving your hookup rate. This jigged stone is styled after a Copper John. Utilizing turkey biots and ultra wire reminiscent of most Copper John patterns. I added biots for the antennas as well. For the legs, sexi-floss or sili legs work well. The abdomen is just black ice dubbing.
Jigged stoneflies look awesome, and you'll lose less of them at the bottom of the river. I recommend every fly angler has a few jigs in their box.
Conclusion
Since stoneflies are such a big part of a trout's diet, it is best to have some imitations in your fly box. Try a stonefly if you show up at a new river and are unsure what they're eating.
By experimenting with colors and sizes, you can discover what stones your local trout likes. Certain areas will have top-producing patterns, so it's best to stop into your local fly shop. As your stonefly collection grows, you will be more prepared for different rivers and different seasons.
