In the shadows of Mt. Shasta’s gently sloping volcanic flanks, world
class wild trout call cool high country rivers and streams home, and so
do the aquatic insects on which they feed. No one on the planet knows
these waters, these fish, and these bugs better than professional fly
fishing guide and accomplished fly tyer, Ron Hart.
Hart
started guiding fly fishers from across the globe in the Shasta area in
1986 when he decided to devote his life’s energy and skills to the
sport. In many ways, 1986 was a magical season for Hart and during this
time he offered the fly fishing world an answer to fishing early season
hatches: Hart’s Dark Lord nymph was born.
Based on the classic
impressionistic nymph, the Prince Nymph, Hart’s Dark Lord enjoys star status
on many early season fly fishers’ lists and is an especially effective
imitator of early season stoneflies like the Little Brown Stonefly.
Specifications:
- This fly pattern was developed in 1986 by Ron Hart, a favorite fly fishing guide in Northern California
- Little brown stonefly imitation in the mature nymph or emerger life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- Drift the fly through different water types; faster riffles and shallower water near the banks of a river with moderate to slow currents are the most productive water types for this fly
- Little brown stonefly nymphs aren’t always available to trout in western North America, but early season action can be fantastic
- Most prolific western hatches occur during winter (January) and early spring (May)
- Hatches can occur throughout the daylight hours
- When approaching a shallow water environment with a stonefly nymph, be extremely careful not to spook happily feeding trout
- SIZE 16
When and Where to Fish Hart’s Dark Lord
This relatively
small stonefly nymph can be fished as either an impressionistic fly
pattern when searching for trout or as a realistic imitation when
matching the hatch. When searching, fish this fly in riffles, well
defined current seams, areas below faster currents, and near exposed
rocky structure and streamside vegetation. Shallow water near the river
bank will also be productive when fishing a little brown stonefly
hatch, so be sure to survey the scene thoroughly. Little brown stonefly
nymphs are rarely available to trout but are sometimes dislodged from
their rocky shelter and caught in the main current. Anglers will have
the best luck during an early season (January – May) emergence and
hatch of winged adults. These small stonefly nymphs are most commonly
found in cool, well-oxygenated water. Little brown stonefly nymphs
built to creep along the river bottom; their strong but slender legs
and bodies allow them to inch along and hide in rocky structure in some
of the strongest currents a river or stream can offer. These nymphs do
not possess strong swimming ability, however, and can become swept into
the main current’s drift – look for these floating specimens in the
main drift as well as shallower, less energetic water near sheltered
areas. Prior to and during emergence, an angler will easily spot these
early season nymphs crawling from the rocky depths to the shallower
water along the river bank and eventually to the surface of exposed
rocks and vegetation to shed their shucks and hatch into winged adults.
How to Fish Hart’s Dark Lord
Fish this fly in a
variety of water types; because of their common early season occurrence
in western trout water, just about anywhere within a healthy aquatic
ecosystem can be prime real estate for little brown stonefly nymphs.
These nymphs are rarely available to feeding trout as nymphs because of
their keen ability to hide among rocks and debris littered river
bottoms. But despite their strength as crawling or “creeping” nymphs,
little brown stoneflies can sometimes be carried away by stronger
currents where these poor swimmers are unable to fight the power of the
main drift and ride the wave until the energy decreases and they are
deposited back onto the safety of the river bottom. When these nymphs
are caught in the drift, they are quite vulnerable to feeding trout and
will quickly meet their match. A popular strategy is to fish these
patterns on a dead drift right through the main current – drifting a
little brown stonefly nymph through faster riffles, current seams, and
the slower water just below these areas can yield excellent results.
Stonefly nymphs emerge after crawling to the safety of the shoreline
rather than shedding their nymphal shucks in the water’s surface film
like mayflies. This pre- and during-emergence behavior renders
shallower streamside water quite productive just prior to and during a
little brown stonefly emergence and hatch. Always be sure to cast far
enough upstream to allow your little brown stonefly nymph time to sink;
this species spends most of its life as a nymph, hidden within the
structure at the lower portions of the water column. Little brown
stoneflies are rarely available to trout as nymphs, but for the
prepared fly fisher, these small bugs can be provide for some fantastic
early season excitement – little brown stoneflies are most prevalent
during late winter (January) and early spring (May).
Little Brown Stonefly
Little brown stoneflies are small
stoneflies commonly found in trout water throughout western North
America. These dark brown, slate grey or black crawling nymphs are
widely distributed throughout rivers and streams, and are generally the
first stoneflies to hatch during the year. Despite this broad
distribution and early hatch cycle, little brown stoneflies are rarely
available to trout in their nymph stage. During this sheltered larval
stage, little brown stoneflies spend the balance of their time using
their slender, but strong legs, and low center of gravity to crawl or
“creep” about the rocky bottoms of small to large rivers and spring
creeks with moderate to fast flow rates. As nymphs, little brown
stoneflies display short tails and antennae and can sometimes display
complex patterns along their backs. As winged adults, these insects
take on a rich brown or black color and boast the flat wings common to
all adult stoneflies. The little brown stonefly is clumsy in flight and
follows the life stages of a typical stonefly life cycle. The species
is known throughout the western United States as the “Early Brown
Stone” for its common winter (January) and spring (May) emergence
pattern.
Little Brown Stonefly Nymph Life Stage
During
its nymph life stage, these crawlers are most commonly found hiding in
the rocky structure and vegetation beneath the medium to fast water of
riffles and higher energy current seams. Prior to and during a hatch,
these relatively small nymphs can also be found in low energy
backwaters, eddys, and other shallow streamside environments,
especially as emergence approaches. Little brown stonefly nymphs thrive
among the cool, well-oxygenated water of rocky riffles and are rarely
available to feeding trout during the nymph stage. These nymphs are
most vulnerable to trout when they are either swept up by strong
currents or when they leave their rocky homes to hatch into winged
adults from the safety of the shoreline. Despite their low availability
as nymphs little brown stoneflies are an important early season hatch
on many rivers in western North America, especially during emergence
and as sexually mature females return deposit eggs on the water’s
surface.
About the Tyer: Ron Hart
Becoming a fly
fishing guide can be one of the more rewarding choices a passionate
angler can make, but it’s still a demanding profession that calls for
years of hard work, and to be really good, a guide has to be dedicated
from sunrise to sunset each and every day. Ron Hart, a Mt. Shasta area
angler who listened to his passion for the sport and made the choice to
become a fly fishing guide back in 1986, has built quite a reputation
in the American west. In addition to constructing joy for his clients
for over 20 years and the reputation that precedes him, Mr. Hart has
also been successful in constructing his own effective fly patterns.
Ron is a patient outdoorsman and a generous resource for the fly
fishing community. Hart’s most famous fly pattern is probably his Dark
Lord nymph, a clever take on the classic Prince Nymph. His hard work
and dedication guarantee the value of his future contributions to the
art fly fishing and fly tying.
Leland on Umpqua
In
1972 a man named Dennis Black and his fly tying skills found themselves
in high demand. Mr. Black, then a professional production fly tyer, was
famous in the industry for his unsurpassed skill and speed with
whipping up tremendously beautiful and precisely constructed flies. It
wasn’t long until this young fly tying superstar realized that he ought
to take his consistent approach to quality to the next level. Shortly
after this realization, a small army of fly tyers had banded together
to support Mr. Black’s vision. With the likes of Dave Whitlock, Jack
Dennis, and Andy Puyans, Mr. Black was officially in business.
Dennis
Black’s new company Umpqua Feather Merchants quickly extended its reach
and fly production capabilities with expansion into India, Sri Lanka,
and Thailand, where the world’s first and full blown “fly tying
factories” were built. Since those early days, only the highest
standard of excellence has marked Umpqua and this commitment to quality
and efficiency continues to spur the company forward. Dennis Black’s
innovative vision for “fly production” has truly revolutionized how the
fly industry operates and has ultimately made the majority of
production flies better. From the first “royalty system” for rewarding
the most creative professional fly tyers to streamlining production
systems and offering a range of other products, Umpqua Feather
Merchants just seems to “do it all.”
Today, Umpqua Feather
Merchants is without a doubt the world’s best and most prolific
supplier of hand tied fly fishing flies as well as fly tying hooks and
materials, and they recently got better! Umpqua’s brand new, state of
the art headquarters in Louisville, Colorado marks another paradigm
shift in the way fly tying business is done. From its vast warehouse to
its specially designed inventory management and tracking system, Umpqua
is poised to continue its energetic trajectory and lead the way for the
next generation of flies and fly tyers.
Umpqua on Umpqua
"As you may or may not know, we're the
largest producer of quality hand-tied flies in the world. We also make
available through your local fly shop a wide array of the finest
fly-tying hackle and Tiemco hooks.
At Umpqua we offer
everything the angler needs to a have a first class fishing experience.
(Everything that is, but the water and the fish.)"
Umpqua on Dennis Black and the “Obvious Quest”
“The idea
first took shape in the hands of our founder, Dennis Black, back in
1972. As a fast and facile professional fly tyer, Dennis was known for
his skill and speed at producing hundreds of dozens of flies each year
for the larger mail order houses. But he was also quick to realize how
fast the demand for excellent flies would outstrip the abilities of
cottage industry types like him.
The Obvious Quest: To create
excellent flies in sufficient supply – without sinking his standards.
In response, Dennis developed (with characteristic care) a methodical
plan: First, he enlisted the tying expertise of the likes of Dave
Whitlock, Jack Dennis, Andy Puyans and others, to help him set the
standard of excellence for Umpqua flies.
Next, Dennis
established the first of what would eventually be five separate
fly-tying “factories,” first in India, then in Sri Lanka, and finally
in Thailand. The primary focus at each of these factories was on
producing the very best fishing flies possible, constructed of the very
best materials available. From the beginning, the quantity of flies
produced was secondary to the quality and excellence of each fly
pattern. These high standards were assured by the personal involvement
of the fly designers themselves, and by the ever-increasing skill,
imagination and creativity of the Umpqua production fly tiers. Today,
you will find no flies more skillfully tied than those available from
Umpqua Feather Merchants.
Finally, Dennis created a system of
royalty payments, to reward professional tyers like Whitlock, Lefty
Kreh, Randall Kaufman, Larry Dahlberg, and Bob Popovics for uniquely
good patterns.
The Result: Today, Umpqua produces umpteen
thousand dozen flies, from micro-scopic midge imitations to the huge
patterns favored by marlin and sailfish. And the "Umpquality" – you’ll
see for yourself.”