Fly Tying Instructions for Yellow Stonefly

The yellow stonefly is an aquatic insect that emerges from the water during the summer months. The insect is available to fish in a variety of sizes and as a nymph and adult. Tying flies to mimic the insect requires several common materials and basic fly tying skills. The most common patterns resemble a elk hair caddis with bright yellow body. The pattern is designed to be fished on the surface but it may also be drowned to imitate a nymph or drowned adult.

Things You'll Need

  • Dry fly hook size #8-16
  • Bleached elk hair
  • Yellow rabbit dubbing
  • Yellow dry fly hackle
  • Yellow 6/0 or 8/0 fly tying thread
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Place the hook in the fly tying vise. Start the thread near the eye of the hook and wrap it forward to the bend in the hook. Use your fingers to stroke the tip of a yellow hackle feather. Expose the tip and place it on the bend of the hook. Make four wraps of thread to secure the tip of the feather to the hook.

    • 2

      Place a very thin layer of dubbing wax on the thread. Use your fingers to twist a thin layer of yellow rabbit dubbing on the thread. Wrap the dubbing around the hook shank to form a tight body. The dubbing must cover the shank from the bend to the eye.

    • 3

      Wrap the hackle feather in a diagonal pattern until you reach the thread at the eye of the hook. Make several wraps of thread to secure the hackle to the hook. Cut away the excess feather.

    • 4

      Cut a small section of bleached elk fur from a patch. Hold the fur by the tips and stroke the base of the fibers to remove the soft underfur. Place the fur in a hackle stacker with the tips facing down. Tap the stacker on a flat surface to align the tips.

    • 5

      Remove the elk fur from the hackle stacker and hold it on the hook to create a wing. Measure the wing to a length that extends slightly past the bend in the hook. Make two loose thread wraps and three firm thread wraps to secure the base of the elk hair wing. Trim away the excess elk to expose the eye of the hook.

    • 6

      Use a whip finisher to knot the thread and cut away the excess thread. Use your fingers to make slight adjustments to the wing position for a perfect looking fly.