Little Black Stonefly or Snowfly (Capniidae)
Nymphal Stage
While talking with a friend outside the shop, I noticed a small flying insect land on his lapel. After examining it, then eating it and grossing out my friend....I declared it to be our old friend the tiny black stonefly.
With the days lengthening and the temperature reaching double digits, the little black stonefly hatch is on. Seen crawling over the candling ice along the Yukon River, the grayling are keying in on these insects as the nymphs crawl out of the river to hatch into adults. I had best success fishing a size 14-16 Harts Dark Lord 10 feet under an indicator. I fished a hot wire worm under the stonefly nymph to take advantage of the continued midge action. If you are not hitting bottom with your flies, you are not fishing. To get down, I added 3 split shot weights about 6 inches up from the stonefly to get it down fast.
Check out this tying demo bellow.
Rich's Winter Stone from Richard Strolis on Vimeo.
