Small stonefly nymphs are extremely important to the diets of trout in
the western United States, especially during the warmer mid-season
months. Imitating these little bugs effectively is the key to success
on many of the western angler’s favorite rivers and streams.
Around
the year 2000, Brad Befus began tying one of the more effective small
stonefly imitations the world has ever seen. In creating his Wired
Stonefly, Befus, like most of the best fly tyers in the world, wasn’t
afraid to experiment with new materials. The results have been
tremendous.
Befus’ Gold Bead Wired Stonefly – Little Yellow
Stone employs two colors of fly tying to create a new look in weighted
nymph bodies. It’s also got a gold bead head for a bit of flash,
profile, and weight. The Wired Stonefly is the perfect answer for
anglers looking to fish a mid-season Little Yellow Stonefly hatch.
Specifications:
- This fly pattern was developed around 2000 by exceptional fly tyer Brad Befus
- Originally designed to imitate small stoneflies commonly found throughout the western United States
- Little yellow stonefly imitation in the mature nymph 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 yellow stonefly nymphs are available to trout all year long in trout water throughout North America
- Most prolific hatches occur during warmer months (June – August)
- Hatches occur consistently and with long duration throughout the daylight hours
- Strikes on little yellow stoneflies are often far from subtle because trout must often be prepared to rip these strong crawlers from their rocky homes
- When approaching a shallow water environment with a stonefly nymph, be extremely careful not to spook happily feeding trout
- Gold bead adds extra flash, profile, and weight to this fly pattern
- SIZE 16
When and Where to Fish Befus’ Gold Bead Wired Stonefly – Little Yellow Stonefly
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
yellow stonefly hatch, so be sure to survey the scene thoroughly.
Little yellow stoneflies are available to trout all year long but are
most active during the warmer spring and summer months (June – August).
These stoneflies are active throughout the day in cool, well-oxygenated
water, and are commonly found anywhere trout thrive. These nymphs do
not possess strong swimming ability and are often 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 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 Befus’ Gold Bead Wired Stonefly – Little Yellow Stonefly
Fish
this fly in a variety of water types; because of their aggressive and
migratory feeding nature, strong crawling ability, and widespread
proliferation in all kinds of trout water, just about anywhere within a
healthy aquatic ecosystem can be prime real estate for little yellow
stonefly nymphs. Despite their strength as crawling or “creeping”
nymphs, little yellow stoneflies will often be carried away by stronger
currents. These poor swimmers are unable to fight the power of the main
drift and will 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 yellow 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 yellow stonefly emergence and hatch. Always be sure to cast far
enough upstream to allow your little yellow stonefly nymph time to
sink; this species spends most of its life as a nymph in the lower
portions of the water column. Little yellow stoneflies, often referred
to as “Yellow Sallies,” can make themselves available throughout the
day all year long, but are most prevalent during the warmer months of
June through August. Trout prey on them hungrily and voraciously, so
don’t be surprised when you feel an aggressive take – set the hook
confidently and with care if you happen to be fishing with lighter
leaders and tippet material!
Little Yellow Stonefly
Little yellow stoneflies (or “Yellow
Sallies”) are relatively small stoneflies that occur with great
regularity and in large numbers in trout waters throughout North
America. These pale yellow to light brown crawling nymphs are widely
distributed throughout rivers and streams, and this broad distribution
makes the species and important staple of any North American trout’s
seasonal diet. During the larval stage, which commonly lasts about 1
year, little yellow 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 yellow
stoneflies display long and slender tails and antennae and can
sometimes display complex patterns along their pale yellow to brown
backs. As winged adults, these insects take on a creamy yellow or milky
straw color and boast the flat wings common to all adult stoneflies.
The little yellow stonefly follows the life stages of a typical
stonefly life cycle and hatches across North America with great
availability throughout the year with more prolific hatches occurring
during the warmer months of June through August.
Little Yellow Stonefly Nymph Life Stage
During
its nymph life stage, these crawlers are most commonly found in the
medium to fast water of riffles and higher energy current seams. Prior
to and during a hatch, these relatively small and slender nymphs can
also be found in low energy backwaters, eddys, and other shallow
streamside environments, especially as emergence approaches. Little
yellow stonefly nymphs thrive among the cool, well-oxygenated water of
rocky riffles and 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.
Their swimming ability is quite weak and these nymphs expose themselves
by making adventurous crawling trips away from safety just before
emergence and subsequent on-land hatching. Little yellow stoneflies are
an important hatch on many rivers in North America. These easily
distinguishable nymphs can become available to trout throughout the
waters of North America on a year-round basis and commonly hatch from
morning to evening hours.
About the Tyer: Brad Befus
Brad
Befus has been involved in the fly fishing world for nearly his whole
life. He began his trek through the watery wonders of fly fishing by
working in a fly shop in Boulder, Colorado and never looked back.
Today, Brad is an accomplished fly fisher who holds several IGFA world
records and travels extensively in search of the world’s best fly
water. When it comes to fly tying, Brad is nothing short of prolific.
His designs have been fished (and fished hard) from sea to shining sea,
and he just continues to push and push and push the envelope. He is a
professional tyer for Umpqua Feather Merchants and lives with his
wonderful family in Montrose, Colorado – if you haven’t heard, Brad’s
son, Tyler Befus, is also a contract tyer with Umpqua Feather
Mecrchants and an excellent fly fisher. Something more than world class
trout must be in the water in Colorado!
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.”