Reid’s Stonefly (No I didn’t name it!)
- This topic has 10 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated Dec 19, 2008 at 12:50 am by
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This is a pattern I first began to tie over 20 years ago. A few years back when the “rubber and foam” craze hit I abandoned tying it with the feather legs opting instead for Brown Sili-legs. however time has shown the original is, in my opinion, superior. The only real recent change is the use of Masterbrite or Glister (Same thing) on the Thorax.
There’s nothing new in this pattern… every step was a recognized technique when I first started tying it.
This has been a killing pattern in freestone streams for me all over New Zealand and accounted for one of the largest trout I have had the pleasure to catch a 14 lb brown from the headwaters of a South Canterbury Stream.
The technique of creating flat bodied stones is one I originally got from Keith Draper. I cannot recall if he “invented” this technique, but I don’t recall seeing it before Keith published his book containing it.
Tie in a piece of lead along each side of the shank
Repeat the process on each side using a slightly shorter piece so you create a flat, but tapered body
Tie in two dark brown goose biots for the tail. When you cut them they will have the same curvature. Turn one around so the curves oppose and you will get a nice effect.
Tie in a piece of Peacock Wing Quill feather this is the herl which will form the body.
Also tie in a piece of copper wire for the rib.
Apply a light coat of cement to the underbody and wrap the herl forward to approximately the half way point. Wind the copper wire forward in the opposite direction you wound the herl…
Take a Turkey Tail feather and apply a light coat of cement to the section you wish to use. Allow it to dry.
When I was tying these commercially I would treat an entire feather at once with a spray can of varnish. Hold the feather at arms length (Best you do this outside) and give it a light spray and allow it to dry.
Cut a section of the feather and tie in as you would for any conventional wing-case.
Take a Pheasant Green Rump feather and strip away the down. Holding the very tip preen it so the fibers flow backwards as shown…
Tie this in on top of the wingcase by the tip.
Take a small amount of
You can judge a man by the size of things which annoy him.
Well it’s not a specific imitator, more the general impressionistic stonefly which can be taken for any of the brown, black or green stones common on our freestone streams. But yep, in small sizes it would imitate Zelandoperla as you’ve shown but was tied originally with the Aucklanddobius in mind.
The rivers it does particularly well in (Rangitikei and Ngaruroro) have high populations of Onicigaster mayflies too which are a large free swimming flat-bodied insect.
My main hope is that fish simply see any fly as food. 😉
You can judge a man by the size of things which annoy him.
Thanks guys… I’m flattered by your appreciation of the fly.
You can judge a man by the size of things which annoy him.
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