Sunlit Cobble Red Stonefly Nymph
by @dekasso
Nymph
A red crawler on sunlit cobble
A realistic stonefly nymph in red-brown and olive, size 8, for trout feeding along the bottom of fast, rocky rivers.
A realistic stonefly nymph with a spiky red-brown abdomen, a mottled wing case and splayed olive legs. It is built from reddish-brown squirrel dubbing, copper wire, red-brown Thin Skin and barred silicone tails and antennae.
- Imitates
- Stonefly nymphs crawling to shore before emerging, typically late spring into early summer
- Hook
- size 8
- Tippet
- 3Xrule of three
- Size 8 Tiemco 200R curved hook
- Spiky red-brown squirrel dubbing body
- Olive rubber legs, splayed and bent
- Barred silicone tails and antennae
- Mottled red-brown Thin Skin wing case
On the water
Sunlight falls through shallow water onto mossy stones, and a red-brown stonefly sits among them. Its abdomen bristles with fibres, the wing case is speckled dark, and six olive legs reach out at angles. Barred tails and antennae finish both ends.
Fish it deep in riffles and pocket water, where real nymphs lose their grip on the rocks. Dead-drift it close to the stones under an indicator, then let it swing up at the tail of the run.
Thin Skin wing cases make or break the look. Cut the shape before you tie it in, colour the spots first, and fold it over in two stages so the thorax stays segmented.
Rigging
- Tippet
- 3Xhook size divided by three
- Leader
- Nine feet, with fluorocarbon tippet to get it down
- Fish on 3X to 4X tippet; the size and legs need a sturdy connection.
- Add split shot above the knot so it reaches the stones in fast water.
- Use it as the point fly with a small nymph trailed behind.
Where and when
- Hatch
- Stonefly nymphs crawling to shore before emerging, typically late spring into early summer
- Target
- Trout
- Water type
- Fast riffles, pocket water and runs over cobble
- Also fishes
- Also works in deep plunge pools, high spring water and tailwater runs where stoneflies live among the rocks.
Make it yourself
Advanced8 materials · 12 steps
- Style
- Nymph
- Hook
- Tiemco 200Rsize 8
- Thread
- 6/0 brown
Materials in the order they go on the hook
- Tailbarred silicone legs
- Ribfine copper wire
- Bodyreddish-brown squirrel dubbing
- Wingmottled red-brown Thin Skin
- Legsolive rubber legs
- Thoraxreddish-brown squirrel dubbing
- Antennaebarred silicone legs
- Headmottled red-brown Thin Skin
Details
- Imitates
- Stonefly nymph
- Colors
- Reddish brown, Olive, Black-and-white barred
How to tie it
The steps, from first wrap to whip finish (12)
- Mount the hook and run a thread base from the eye to just above the barb.
- Tie in two barred silicone tails, splayed in a V, each about half a shank long.
- Tie in the copper wire at the tail.
- Dub a tapered reddish-brown abdomen over the rear 60 percent of the shank.
- Counter-wrap the wire forward in even segments and tie it off.
- Tie in a pre-cut mottled Thin Skin wing case at the front of the abdomen, shiny side down.
- Tie in three pairs of olive rubber legs along the thorax, angling them out to the sides.
- Dub the thorax between and around the legs, keeping it a touch fatter than the abdomen.
- Fold the wing case forward over the thorax and tie it down behind the head.
- Tie in two barred silicone antennae at the eye, angled forward and apart.
- Fold a second Thin Skin piece over the head and secure it.
- Whip finish and pick out the abdomen fibres with a dubbing brush.
Proportions (4)
- Tails about half the shank length, splayed wide.
- Abdomen covers the rear 60 percent of the shank.
- Legs reach out roughly half a shank length past the body.
- Antennae roughly equal to the tails.
Tips (4)
- Knot the olive rubber legs before tying them in to suggest joints.
- Flatten the body slightly with pliers for a true stonefly profile.
- Use a dubbing loop for the abdomen so the fibres stay spiky.
- Mark the wing case spots before tying in so they stay crisp.
Common mistakes (4)
- Crowding the eye: leave room for the antennae and head cover.
- Wrapping the rib too tight cuts the dubbing flat; use firm, even turns.
- Legs pointing straight back look dead; angle them outward as you dub.
- Thick thread under the thorax adds bulk; keep wraps few and flat.
Every kit size
Materials only
Size 8 · Materials only · 12 flies
$47.15
$3.93 a fly
Includes Tiemco 200R · and 8 more
Every item in this kit · 9 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 200R$6.50
Thread & wire
- 6/0 brown thread$2.95
- Fine copper wire$3.25
Materials
- Barred silicone legs$7
- Reddish-brown squirrel dubbing$9
- Other material: Mottled red-brown Thin Skin$9
- Olive rubber legs$3.50
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 8 · Materials only · 48 flies
$126.21
$2.63 a fly
Bought separately $132.85 · you save $6.64
Includes Tiemco 200R · and 8 more
Every item in this kit · 9 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 200R$13
Thread & wire
- 6/0 brown thread$5.90
- Fine copper wire$6.50
Materials
- Barred silicone legs$24.50
- Reddish-brown squirrel dubbing$31.50
- Other material: Mottled red-brown Thin Skin$31.50
- Olive rubber legs$14
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 8 · Materials only · 144 flies
$313.85
$2.18 a fly
Bought separately $356.65 · you save $42.80
Includes Tiemco 200R · and 8 more
Every item in this kit · 9 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 200R$35
Thread & wire
- 6/0 brown thread$17.70
- Fine copper wire$13
Materials
- Barred silicone legs$70
- Reddish-brown squirrel dubbing$90
- Other material: Mottled red-brown Thin Skin$90
- Olive rubber legs$35
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
With vise & tools
Size 8 · With vise & tools · 12 flies
$197.15
$16.43 a fly
Includes Tiemco 200R · and 17 more
Every item in this kit · 18 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 200R$6.50
Thread & wire
- 6/0 brown thread$2.95
- Fine copper wire$3.25
Materials
- Barred silicone legs$7
- Reddish-brown squirrel dubbing$9
- Other material: Mottled red-brown Thin Skin$9
- Olive rubber legs$3.50
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 8 · With vise & tools · 48 flies
$268.71
$5.60 a fly
Bought separately $282.85 · you save $14.14
Includes Tiemco 200R · and 17 more
Every item in this kit · 18 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 200R$13
Thread & wire
- 6/0 brown thread$5.90
- Fine copper wire$6.50
Materials
- Barred silicone legs$24.50
- Reddish-brown squirrel dubbing$31.50
- Other material: Mottled red-brown Thin Skin$31.50
- Olive rubber legs$14
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 8 · With vise & tools · 144 flies
$445.85
$3.10 a fly
Bought separately $506.65 · you save $60.80
Includes Tiemco 200R · and 17 more
Every item in this kit · 18 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 200R$35
Thread & wire
- 6/0 brown thread$17.70
- Fine copper wire$13
Materials
- Barred silicone legs$70
- Reddish-brown squirrel dubbing$90
- Other material: Mottled red-brown Thin Skin$90
- Olive rubber legs$35
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
The creator
How it was made
1 iteration led here; the saved one is marked
1 Saved
Remixes
2 steps back
- Speckled Olive Stonefly Nymph@dekasso · the original
- Sunlit Cobble Red Stonefly Nymphyou are here
No remixes yet — make your own version.
Where this came from
“make the red green and the body redish”
fly pattern · made
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- stonefly
- nymph
- realistic
- red
- olive
- rubber legs
- trout
- pocket water
- riffles
- thin skin