Christmas Stonefly Jig - Fly of the Month

Guest Blogger: J. Stockard Pro Chris Williamson from Washington state. Follow Chris on Instagram @lessthancivilized.

This pattern is my go to for imitating stonefly nymphs. I threw it together before a float on the Yakima river and it has earned a permanent spot in my box. For golden stones and summer stones I usually tie this pattern on a size 12-10 3xl jig hook. This pattern finds the bottom very quickly and works well under an indicator or on a tight line rig.

Thread- Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread 12/0 red

Hook- Firehole 523 BL size 12

Bead- Firehole Slotted Stone 4.5mm true blood

TAIL- Semperfli Dirty Bug Yarn olive caddis, Hareline Stripped Goose Biots white

Abdomen- Hareline Half Round Rib red medium, UTC Ultra Wire white small

Thorax- Semperfli Dirty Bug Yarn olive caddis, Fulling Mill Nymph-Rap white 4mm, Semperfli Mirror Tinsel 1/32” red

Legs- Hareline Life Flex blood red

1. First put a 3xl jig hook in the vise with a 4.5mm slotted tungsten bead. 

2. Next add 8-12 wraps of .020 lead free wire.

3. Secure lead wraps to the shank with thread.

4. Tie in 2 strands of dirty bug yarn in, brush it out, then trim to desired length. 

5. Add 2 goose biots for the tails.

6. Tie in mirage tinsel, D-rib, and wire. Wrap mirage tinsel forward and secure it just before the thorax.

7. Wrap the vinyl D-rib forward and secure just before the thorax.

8. Wrap wire forward just between the gaps in the D-rib and stop and secure just before the thorax. Now tie in your red tinsel and your latex just behind the bead and towards the rear of the fly, stop where you want the thorax to begin.

9. Tie the rear legs in on each side.

10. Tie in your dirty bug yarn.

11. Wrap your dirty bug yarn 2-3 touching wraps forward then secure the yarn with your thread. 

12. Pull your latex and tinsel forward and secure it down in front of your yarn wraps and continue thread wraps forward to the bead.

13. pull your latex back and wrap your thread back towards the 1st segment where you ended your yarn.

14. Now tie your in the rest of your legs. I like to tie them in and then tie the front legs forward creating a gap between them but this is not necessary. 

15. Wrap your dirty bug yarn forward going between the legs all the way forward up to the bead and secure it down with your thread.

16. Now pull your latex and tinsel forward and secure it just behind the bead. 

17. Take a sparse amount of gold ice dub and create a small dubbing noodle and wrap it around the collar and whip finish. 

18. Ilike to add a little solarez bone dry and cure it with a UV light.