Twilight Purple Stonefly Nymph
by @dekasso
Stonefly Nymph · Nymph
Dusk colours under a cold boulder
A size 8 stonefly nymph in purple and blue with a holographic shellback, tied to bounce along the bottom of fast trout water.
A stonefly nymph in purple and blue, with forked biot tails, barred legs and a shimmering back. The shellback is pink-blue holographic Thin Skin over a purple Ice Dub body ribbed with purple wire.
- Pattern
- Stonefly Nymph
- Imitates
- Stonefly nymph migration toward the banks, typically late spring into early summer
- Hook
- size 8
- Tippet
- 3Xrule of three
- Size 8 curved nymph hook
- Pink-blue holographic shellback
- Forked purple goose biot tails
- Barred black-and-white rubber legs
- Brass bead chain eyes
On the water
Purple goose biots fork off the back. A pink-and-blue holographic strip runs the length of the abdomen, wire-ribbed into neat segments. Gold wing pads, barred legs, brass eyes and two blue flash antennae finish the front end.
Fish it deep in fast runs and pocket water, where real stoneflies cling to the rocks. Dead-drift it under an indicator or tight-line it, and let it tumble along the stones. A slow lift at the end of the drift is worth a try.
Thin Skin is the material to get right. Cut the shellback strip to the body width, stretch it as you fold it forward, and the ribbing wire will pin it down into clean, even segments.
Rigging
- Tippet
- 3Xhook size divided by three
- Leader
- Nine feet, with fluorocarbon tippet to get it down
- Use 3X to 4X tippet; the bulky body and legs turn over best on a stout leader.
- Add split shot above the knot to get it down to the stones in fast current.
- Keep the line tight through the drift and watch for any pause in the indicator.
Where and when
- Hatch
- Stonefly nymph migration toward the banks, typically late spring into early summer
- Target
- Trout
- Water type
- Fast runs, pocket water and boulder-strewn freestone streams
- Also fishes
- Also fishes well as the heavy point fly in a two-nymph rig, and in tailouts below fast water when stoneflies are on the move.
Make it yourself
Advanced10 materials · 12 steps
- Pattern
- Stonefly Nymph
- Style
- Nymph
- Hook
- Daiichi 1270size 8
- Thread
- Purple 6/0
Materials in the order they go on the hook
- EyesBrass bead chain
- AntennaeBlue Krystal Flash
- TailPurple goose biots
- RibPurple Ultra Wire
- ShellbackPink-blue holographic Thin Skin
- BodyPurple Ice Dub
- LegsBarred black-and-white rubber legs
- Wing padsGold mottled Thin Skin
- ThoraxBlue-purple Ice Dub
- HeadBlue-purple Ice Dub
Details
- Imitates
- Stonefly
- Colors
- Purple, Blue, Pink, Gold, Black
How to tie it
The steps, from first wrap to whip finish (12)
- Mount the hook and lay a purple thread base from the eye back to the start of the bend.
- Tie in the brass bead chain eyes just behind the hook eye with firm figure-eight wraps.
- Tie in two strands of blue Krystal Flash in front of the eyes, splayed into a V as antennae.
- At the bend, tie in two purple goose biots, one each side, curving outward at about half a shank length.
- Tie in the purple Ultra Wire and a strip of holographic Thin Skin, shiny side down, at the bend.
- Dub a tapered purple Ice Dub abdomen over the rear 60 percent of the shank.
- Fold the Thin Skin forward over the back, stretch it gently and tie it off.
- Wrap the wire forward in five or six even turns over the shellback, then tie off and trim.
- Tie in three pairs of barred rubber legs along the thorax, one pair per segment.
- Dub the blue-purple thorax, then lay two layered gold Thin Skin wing pads over the top.
- Dub a small head around the eyes, picking out a few fibres for movement.
- Whip finish behind the eyes and trim the legs to length.
Proportions (5)
- Tails: about half the shank length, split wide.
- Abdomen: the rear 60 percent of the shank, tapering to the bend.
- Thorax: the front 40 percent, slightly wider than the abdomen.
- Legs: roughly a shank length each, tips barely past the hook point.
- Antennae: about as long as the tails.
Tips (3)
- Put a tiny ball of dubbing at the bend first; it splays the biots apart cleanly.
- Notch the Thin Skin wing pads into a soft V before tying them in for a natural look.
- Pick out the thorax dubbing with a dubbing brush so it flares around the legs.
Common mistakes (3)
- Overdressing the abdomen; keep dubbing thin so the wire segments stay crisp.
- Crowding the eye; leave room behind the bead chain for the head and whip finish.
- Uneven legs; tie each pair in with a single wrap and adjust before locking them down.
Every kit size
Materials only
Size 8 · Materials only · 12 flies
$59.05
$4.92 a fly
Includes Daiichi 1270 · Brass bead chain · and 10 more
Every item in this kit · 12 items
Hooks & beads
- Daiichi 1270$6.50
- Brass bead chain$5.95
Thread & wire
- Purple 6/0 thread$2.95
- Purple Ultra Wire$3.25
Materials
- Blue Krystal Flash$3.95
- Other material: Purple goose biots$4.50
- Other material: Pink-blue holographic Thin Skin$4.50
- Purple Ice Dub$13.50
- Barred black-and-white rubber legs$3.50
- Other material: Gold mottled Thin Skin$4.50
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 8 · Materials only · 48 flies
$159.70
$3.33 a fly
Bought separately $168.10 · you save $8.40
Includes Daiichi 1270 · Brass bead chain · and 10 more
Every item in this kit · 12 items
Hooks & beads
- Daiichi 1270$13
- Brass bead chain$11.90
Thread & wire
- Purple 6/0 thread$5.90
- Purple Ultra Wire$6.50
Materials
- Blue Krystal Flash$11.85
- Other material: Purple goose biots$18
- Other material: Pink-blue holographic Thin Skin$18
- Purple Ice Dub$45
- Barred black-and-white rubber legs$14
- Other material: Gold mottled Thin Skin$18
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 8 · Materials only · 144 flies
$386.72
$2.69 a fly
Bought separately $439.45 · you save $52.73
Includes Daiichi 1270 · Brass bead chain · and 10 more
Every item in this kit · 12 items
Hooks & beads
- Daiichi 1270$35
- Brass bead chain$35.70
Thread & wire
- Purple 6/0 thread$17.70
- Purple Ultra Wire$13
Materials
- Blue Krystal Flash$31.60
- Other material: Purple goose biots$45
- Other material: Pink-blue holographic Thin Skin$45
- Purple Ice Dub$130.50
- Barred black-and-white rubber legs$35
- Other material: Gold mottled Thin Skin$45
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
With vise & tools
Size 8 · With vise & tools · 12 flies
$209.05
$17.42 a fly
Includes Daiichi 1270 · Brass bead chain · and 19 more
Every item in this kit · 21 items
Hooks & beads
- Daiichi 1270$6.50
- Brass bead chain$5.95
Thread & wire
- Purple 6/0 thread$2.95
- Purple Ultra Wire$3.25
Materials
- Blue Krystal Flash$3.95
- Other material: Purple goose biots$4.50
- Other material: Pink-blue holographic Thin Skin$4.50
- Purple Ice Dub$13.50
- Barred black-and-white rubber legs$3.50
- Other material: Gold mottled Thin Skin$4.50
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
$302.20
$6.30 a fly
Bought separately $318.10 · you save $15.90
Includes Daiichi 1270 · Brass bead chain · and 19 more
Every item in this kit · 21 items
Hooks & beads
- Daiichi 1270$13
- Brass bead chain$11.90
Thread & wire
- Purple 6/0 thread$5.90
- Purple Ultra Wire$6.50
Materials
- Blue Krystal Flash$11.85
- Other material: Purple goose biots$18
- Other material: Pink-blue holographic Thin Skin$18
- Purple Ice Dub$45
- Barred black-and-white rubber legs$14
- Other material: Gold mottled Thin Skin$18
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
$518.72
$3.60 a fly
Bought separately $589.45 · you save $70.73
Includes Daiichi 1270 · Brass bead chain · and 19 more
Every item in this kit · 21 items
Hooks & beads
- Daiichi 1270$35
- Brass bead chain$35.70
Thread & wire
- Purple 6/0 thread$17.70
- Purple Ultra Wire$13
Materials
- Blue Krystal Flash$31.60
- Other material: Purple goose biots$45
- Other material: Pink-blue holographic Thin Skin$45
- Purple Ice Dub$130.50
- Barred black-and-white rubber legs$35
- Other material: Gold mottled Thin Skin$45
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
Remixes
No remixes yet — make your own version.
Where this came from
fly pattern · made
0 — nothing entered the score yet, at the Derby's published weights, since . Views are not counted.
- stonefly
- nymph
- purple
- holographic
- rubber legs
- goose biot
- thin skin
- trout
- freestone
- pocket water