Stonefly Wiggle Nymphs

[allan_s]

I tried searching the forum because I figured this has been talked about before but I didn't have much luck, so here it is...

Just for fun I have been tying my stoneflies as wiggle nymphs the past week. I will be trying them out this weekend, but I was curious if anybody else has tied stoneflies as wiggle nymphs. I know that stonefly nymphs 'freeze' up when caught in the current so they usually don't wiggle to much, but I thought it would be a good option to have to use in deeper, slower pools and stripping them slowly across the bottom.

Any thoughts?

Allan

 

[krott243]

They are deadly. Experiment with different colors and body shapes. I fish them a lot for steelhead here in Erie, I tie them with off the wall colors of ice dub and they are killer. Blue, purple and chartreuse are my favorite, I do tie them in your standard patterns as well like hares ears, natural stones and prince nymphs.

 

[Leteras]

I tie them in all black with a blue/purple bead head the steelhead crush them.

 

[Leteras]

Here is a wiggle nymph that my buddy ties.

 

[barrybarry]

Any chance for a photo or two? I'd like to see what they look like.

 

[barrybarry]

Serendipity.

 

[blueheron]

I use articulated stones in the deep pools after a riffle on bigger water.

 

[OldLefty]

allan_s, I'm curious. You say they (the real critters) "freeze up" when they get caught in the current?

 

[MKern]

Dave, I think he means they cup their bodies and reach for rocks to cling to.
They don't do much in the way of swimming in faster currents, do they?

 

[allan_s]

Exactly what I meant MKern. Freezing up probably wasn't the best way to describe it, but from what I have witnessed they don't do a whole lot of wiggling, more or less just cup their bodies and wait to come into contact with something solid.

 

[OldLefty]

I understood exactly what was meant by "freezing up." I do appreciate your effort to explain. Hopefully, my reason for expressing my curiousity can be understood by the following.

Just some food for thought. Let me put myself in a bug's shoes, so to speak. Imagine, if you will, I am a stonefly (or mayfly) nymph. I feel right at home on the stream bottom rock when, for some reason, I experience an unplanned departure from my secure position. Oh, my gosh, what do I do now?? I'm totally insecure - and quite uncomfortable - drifting at the mercy of the current. Panic sets in. I long for the security of a nice stream bottom rock so I can resume feeling comfortable and secure and doing those things which I must do to ensure my survival. I'm being tossed to and fro at the mercy of the currents. Every time I come close to thinking I can settle on the next rock the current sweeps me away again. Finally, I realize that, in order to make my way to the security of the stream bottom rocks I've got to try to do something to help myself. I wriggle my body back and forth and up and down and I move my legs in a frenzy to make my way to safety. Finally, it works. I'm back to where I can feel safe and secure (somewhat, anyway).

My experience is that, for the most part, when a nymph is picked up by the stream current it does its best to get back to the bottom. That means there can be a fair amount of movement as it struggles to reach safety. There may be brief moments when a nymph drifts without movement but the way to security takes some serious effort on their part.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Sometimes a visual helps. Here's a cool video I found...

 

[JackM]

Great video, Ed. This is why we fly fish idinit?

 

[lv2nymph]

Heritage-Angler wrote:
Sometimes a visual helps. Here's a cool video I found...

Especially that visual

JackM on 2013/4/3 17:55:38

Great video, Ed. This is why we fly fish idinit?

Yes it is... :-D

 

[blueheron]

Thanks Ed, I also watched the stonefly video, both have good info.
Also explains why wets and cripples work so well.

 

[allan_s]

Great Video! I would have to say watching that really reinforces tying nymphs with movement, whether from picked out dubbing on small mayflies to articulated large stoneflies. I watched the entire video, really awesome. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks everybody for the information!

 

[mike_richardson]

I was surprised at how much flash they give off when rising to the surface. I may incorporate a bit more flash on the tails or just after the wincases on my nypmhs and try lifting. They also rise a lot slower than I had originally believed.

Good post

 

[MKern]

Ahh, but stonefly don't often get swooped away...they choose to let go to find greener pastures. When they reach slower water is when the swim/sink to the bottom.
Mayflies too.

And while Ed's video is great, filming from an aquarium is different than a swiftly moving stream. And mayflies ready to hatch are different than ones who are causually drifting downstream. However, I will agree that mayflies wiggle a lot more than stoneflies while drifting.

 

[eunanhendron]

used these in size 8 for steelhead and size 14 for trouts

as well as these for trouts in size 14

 

[dsmith1427]

I watched a video of someone tying a wiggle nymph and this thread peaked my interest. My first two attempts are attached. I still need to clip the bend off of the second attempt. Feel free to give me some feedback.

Don