Pebble Bead Stonefly Nymph

By Gary Lewis

Late May through mid-June is the time to fish the Deschutes River’s golden stonefly and salmonfly hatches. The monster flies crawl up out of the water to dry their wings and perch in trees and the tall grass. If no bugs are on the surface, tie on a large stonefly nymph and dredge the bottom. 

Joe Warren’s Pebble Bead Stonefly Nymph is a great choice for prospecting in the back eddies where trout watch the currents for their next morsel. Run this one beneath a strike indicator and tie on an All Purpose Rock Worm (see next week’s issue) as the dropper. 

Tie this pattern with brown thread on a No. 4-6 long nymph hook. Put a bend in the shank about 2/3 to the eye. Wrap lead at the thorax. Tie the tail with brown goose biots. For the underbody, use brown poly yarn. Build the body with four to five root beer silver lined beads. For antennae, use brown rubber legs. Wrap brown dubbing for the thorax, use saddle hackle for the legs and tie down the wingcase with mottled turkey quill.

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