Little Winter Stones

[DUBBN]

I was planning on floating and fishing in the morning, but due to a blizzard in Denver where my buddy lives the float has been cancelled. It's just too dangerous for him to attempt to drive to my neck of the woods.

Rumor has it that the Little Winter Stones are making their appearance, so I threw a few variations together. If I can manage not to cry myself to sleep tonight, (depression over not floating) I may fish in the morning. A few local anglers make a big deal about these litte Stones, but in actuality, A Prince nymph imitates them pretty darn well.

I was messing around my desk and found some Black synthetic dubbing I did not know I had, so I threw a few flys together. Heres the base pattern. Every pattern after this had something added to it.

Hook - Mustad 3906 size 12
Thread- 8/0 Uni Black
Tail- Black Goose Biots
Rib- Gold wire (x fine)
Body- Course Black dubbing that mysteriously appears in your inventory.
Collar- Dark Furnace Hen Hackle




Even if I dont go tomorrow, these little guys will work all the way through Spring.

[Soft-hackle]

OOOO--Nice!

Mark

[CreationBear]

That's a great hatch out there--I caught a LWS hatch on the Big T there in the RMNP during a May blizzard and was literally catching browns to 15 inches with every cast. I'd definitely be interested to see how your ties compare to the traditional Yorkshire patterns (i.e. Grouse & Orange, Light Spanish Needle, etc.) that folks use to fish to their "needle flies."

[Smuggler]

This brings something to mind. the other day I went out because it was almost in the 60's and I knew I'd at least catch little black stones hatching.. and they were.. all day pretty much.

Anyways, has anyone here ever witnessed a trout rise to these flies? I mean we've certainly seen plenty of them floating on the water, cripples, females depositing eggs and such. And we all know that the nymph version is readily taken almost year round too! I've never heard about trout rising to stoneflies in the east. Is it just me or what?

PS: Those flies are very nice btw

[CreationBear]

I've never heard about trout rising to stoneflies in the east.

It's always hard to know what's going on with my dumb little trout, but I've done well with dark colored EHC's when winter stones were on the water; otherwise, Little Yellow Sallies/Little Green Sallies are an almost a constant presence on the infertile freestoners I fish down here in Applalachia. Hard to know if they're taking the fly as a Sally, Cahill, or Sulphur, but anything "yaller" almost always catches fish nine months out of the year.

[Kelly L.]

Nice little flies, and the legs are a great addition.

[DUBBN]

Thanks for the kind words all.

Smuggler, I have never seen a fish rise to a Litte Winter Stone. Be it on the Gunnison, White (Colorado), Roaring Fork, or Colorado River. I know the trout are on the look out for the nymphs, and thats the trout I will be targeting.

My standard rig will probably consist of the LWS on top, another Soft Hackle (probably a Muskrat or Two Tone) dropped off from that, and a size 18-22 Baetis emeger dropped off from that. As Spring arrives and the rivers start to get murky, I will probably switch the LWS to a size 8 Salmon fly (Pteronarcys californica) nymph/Soft hackle, and a Caddis Pupa dropped off from that.

Salmon fly Nymphs/SH's



Caddis Pupa from tie2fish' technique

[hankaye]

DUBBIN, Howdy;

Fantastic looking hatch that's spurng from your vise...

If ya do get on the river be careful... load an extra thermos with some bullion...

hank

[DUBBN]

DUBBIN, Howdy;

Fantastic looking hatch that's spurng from your vise...

If ya do get on the river be careful... load an extra thermos with some bullion...

hank

Hank, it'sa blizzard on the East side of the divide. Here on the West side it's gonna be close to 50F degrees. I am gonna break out the beer. After I am done driving!

[hankaye]

DUBBIN, Howdy;

It's still 48 deg outside rightnow...

Have a fun time...

hank