Yellow Sally adults, Perlodidae
family species, normally deposit
their eggs just before dark and
sometimes after dark. Trout can
be taken on adult imitations
during this time. The bottom side
is what the fish see. Imitations in
the spent position work best.
family species, normally deposit
their eggs just before dark and
sometimes after dark. Trout can
be taken on adult imitations
during this time. The bottom side
is what the fish see. Imitations in
the spent position work best.
Stoneflies:
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| Fly Fishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
You will find that the Smokies has a huge population and diversity of stoneflies.
The park may have as many if not more species than any area of the nation. Most
of its streams are perfectly suited for them.
Importance as Trout Food:
In spite of the quantity of stoneflies in the streams, they are not the most important
trout food available to the trout because of the word available. They are not usually
available. They are usually hidden down between and beneath the rocks and
stones that make up the streams substrate. When they feed, in some situations;
when they molt, in some situations; and when they hatch in all situations, they are
available for the trout to eat.
Nymphs:
Occasionally, stonefly nymphs get accidentally caught by the streams current and
tumble downstream. Some, mostly the small species, are a part in the behavioral
drift. It is certainly possible to catch trout on an imitation of the nymph at times
other than the hatch but may, on the average, produce less than satisfactory
results.
The Hatch:
Stoneflies hatch out of the water, not in the water like most other aquatic insects.
Most all stoneflies crawl to the shoreline, rocks or other objects that are protruding
out of the water to hatch. It is during this migration that they are most available the
trout to eat.
Imitating the Hatch:
You should imitate this behavior by retrieving your nymph imitation on the bottom
towards the bank. Fishing from the bank and retrieving your fly back to shore is
usually more effective than the typical nymphing on the swing and high sticking
type methods are. Keep in mind that the stoneflies move to the quitter water along
the shore or pockets where rocks extend out of the water as opposed to crawling
out of fast water. You want to fish the calmer portion of the water that is adjacent to
the fast water in which the stoneflies live.
Adults:
Stoneflies live for a relatively long time out of the water. The mate out of the water.
Unlike mayflies, for example, stoneflies can eat and drink as adults. Just because
you find a lot of stoneflies in the bushes and trees along the banks of a stream
does not necessarily mean you can catch trout on an imitation of the adult. The
only time the adults are going to be available for the trout to eat is when the
females are depositing their eggs.
Egg Ovipositiing:
Most stoneflies deposit their eggs during the night but some species do so during
the daylight hours. All of them prefer to deposit their eggs during low light
conditions. Overcast skies and rainy days may offer some opportunities for
anglers to catch trout on ovipositing stoneflies.
Stonefly Families:
There are nine families of stoneflies in the United States. All nine families are
found in the park's streams. Unlike caddisflies and mayflies it is usually not
necessary to determine these to any level below the family level. With only a very
few exceptions, there is very little difference in the genera of the families. Most all
of them are about the same size and shape. The colors of the nymphs and the
adults within a family can vary within the family. The best way to choose a fly to
match them in the event you are unable to identify a hatch is to catch one of the
adults and match it but this is not legal in the park. If you have patterns of the type
we recommend, then you would have a fly to match them. You can find the adults
by checking the bushes, trees and grass along the stream side for the stoneflies.
The nymphs are also easy to acquire. They can be found clinging to the bottom of
stones. Normally, you can pick up the stones from the bottom of the stream.
Picking up and moving rocks is illegal in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
Do not keep any of the adult insects you find. It is illegal to kill or to collect them
from the park.
Capniidae Family
Little Brown or Black Snowflies
This family of stoneflies are present in the park's streams and may be observed
during the winter months. They represent one of the few species of aquatic
insects that emerges and is available to the trout when the water is extremely
cold. Although these are classified as Little Brown Stoneflies for the most part,
they are black. Most anglers refer to them as Little Blacks and some as Little
Winter stoneflies.
Trout can be taken on nymph imitations of the Snowflies but imitations of the
adults are rarely productive. Trout are not very prone to rise to the surface to eat
the egg laying females on the surface in the very cold water that usually exist when
they hatch.
Leuctridae Family
Little Brown or Black Needleflies:
This family of stoneflies is very prevalent in the park's streams and especially so
in the higher elevations although they are present at all elevations. They are most
plentiful in the late summer and fall months of the year. They are abundant up until
very cold weather occurs. They can usually be found during the months of August
through December.
Many anglers confuse these small stoneflies with caddisflies because in the air
they look like brown caddisfleis. They look much larger flying than they actually
are. They are easy to identify because they are the only stoneflies that are slim,
long and shaped like needles. They have wings that roll around their bodies
rather than lie flat on the top of their backs. They deposit their eggs during the
daylight hours as well as after dark and trout can be taken on flies that imitate the
egg laying adults. Late afternoons provide the best opportunities.
Nemouridae Family
Little Brown or Black Forestflies:
Taeniopterygidae Family
Little Brown or Black Winter Stoneflies:
Both of these families of "Little Brown stoneflies exist in the park and like
some of the others classified as Little Browns. The adults are both brown and
black and all shades in between. Both families are so similar that anglers do not
need to be able to differentiate between them. The minute differences are only
important to entomologist and can only be determined with magnification.
Species of both families hatch during the winter or early springs months and
usually do so in fair to large quantities. Imitations of the nymphs work very well
just prior to and during a hatch. Some of the adults can usually be found
depositing their eggs before dark. Fish can be taken on the adult patterns during
this time but is not a reliable method of fishing. You will find several different
species of Little Black and Little Brown Stoneflies. This can be confusing to those
that pay close attention to it. Technically, there is no such thing as a Little Black
Stonefly. They are all Little Brown Stoneflies. Anglers call them Little Black
Stoneflies because they are just that-Little Black colored stonefles. So the bottom
line is that it makes no difference. You should match the size and color. We are
only pointing this out for those weekend entomologist that are ready to call our
attention to what they would call an error.
Chloroperlidae Family
Little Green Stoneflies:
The Little Green; stoneflies exist in the park in large numbers in a few streams.
They hatch in the summer after many other species have already hatched. These
are usually small stoneflies that probably average a hook size 16 or 18. The
adults of several of the species in this family are yellow and can easily be
confused with the Little Yellow stoneflies but this is not important as long as
anglers correctly match the size and color
Perlidae Family
Golden Stoneflies:
Species of the Golden Stonefly family are probably the most plentiful group of
stoneflies in the park. Most of these are very colorful as nymphs. Patterns of dark
brown and yellow distinguish them, especially those that are near maturity. The
adults range from a golden dull yellow color to a solid brown depending on the
species. Imitations of the nymphs can be very productive prior to a hatch. Most of
the egg laying activity occurs after dark but late afternoons may produce some
activity especially if low light conditions exist.
Perlodidae
Little Yellow Stoneflies
Species of the Isoperla genus of the Perlodidae family are usually called the
Yellow Sally but several other species are also called Yellow Sallies, so that
depends on what part of the country you are in. In the Smokies it seems most
anglers call any of the Little Yellow Stoneflies a Yellow Sally.
The Perlodidae family is one of two families that make up the Little Yellow Stonefly
group and are among the most plentiful group of mayflies in the park's streams.
These stoneflies usually hatch in the afternoons and usually begin to deposit their
eggs late in the afternoon prior to dark and continue to do for some time in the
evening. This makes it productive in most cases to imitate the egg laying activity
before dark. We have experienced very good results in the Smokies imitating the
egg laying activity of the Yellow Sallies.
Peltoperlidae (Roach Flies)
Little Yellow-Summer Stone
The Peltoperlidae family, called Roach Flies, are also little yellow stoneflies. They
are not as plentiful as the Perlodidae family but do exist in the park. We have not
experienced these in sufficient enough quantities to cause selective feeding but
we have found many of the adults and nymphs in several of the streams. Although
they are shaped slightly different (more like roaches) other imitations would
probably suffice to imitate them should you find them concentrated.
Pteronarcella Family:
Giant Stoneflies
The giant black stoneflies are plentiful in most all of the streams in the park. The
Pteronarcys dorsata is common in the park's streams. These are huge nymphs
that live for 3 or 4 years. Trout, especially the large browns, can be taken on
imitations of the large nymphs during the day during the hatch period, even though
the Giant Stoneflies hatch during the evenings. Imitations of the adults fished
during the day are rarely effective. These giant stoneflies hatch during the night.
Imitating the adults is not effective unless you fish at night and that is difficult to do
effectively in most of the streams. Spent patterns of the adults presented at the
end of the runs and heads of the pools may be effective if fished early in the
morning just after daylight.
Summary:
Stonefly nymphs are in every stream we have checked in the Great Smoky
Mountain Park. Normally, they are very plentiful. Since the families of larger ones,
the Goldens and the Giants live for 2 or 3 years, they are always in the streams in
all sizes. They are definitely a very important and abundant trout food in the small
freestone streams of the park. It is true most of them stay hidden most of the time.
Only a few small species have been found in a drift. Trout may have a hard time
finding one to eat unless it is trying to crawl to a bank to hatch, or the stonefly
nymph gets careless feeding at night. There is one thing you can count on,
however. The trout know they are there and they are ready and willing to pounce
on one whenever they get the opportunity.
Copyright 2011 James Marsh
The park may have as many if not more species than any area of the nation. Most
of its streams are perfectly suited for them.
Importance as Trout Food:
In spite of the quantity of stoneflies in the streams, they are not the most important
trout food available to the trout because of the word available. They are not usually
available. They are usually hidden down between and beneath the rocks and
stones that make up the streams substrate. When they feed, in some situations;
when they molt, in some situations; and when they hatch in all situations, they are
available for the trout to eat.
Nymphs:
Occasionally, stonefly nymphs get accidentally caught by the streams current and
tumble downstream. Some, mostly the small species, are a part in the behavioral
drift. It is certainly possible to catch trout on an imitation of the nymph at times
other than the hatch but may, on the average, produce less than satisfactory
results.
The Hatch:
Stoneflies hatch out of the water, not in the water like most other aquatic insects.
Most all stoneflies crawl to the shoreline, rocks or other objects that are protruding
out of the water to hatch. It is during this migration that they are most available the
trout to eat.
Imitating the Hatch:
You should imitate this behavior by retrieving your nymph imitation on the bottom
towards the bank. Fishing from the bank and retrieving your fly back to shore is
usually more effective than the typical nymphing on the swing and high sticking
type methods are. Keep in mind that the stoneflies move to the quitter water along
the shore or pockets where rocks extend out of the water as opposed to crawling
out of fast water. You want to fish the calmer portion of the water that is adjacent to
the fast water in which the stoneflies live.
Adults:
Stoneflies live for a relatively long time out of the water. The mate out of the water.
Unlike mayflies, for example, stoneflies can eat and drink as adults. Just because
you find a lot of stoneflies in the bushes and trees along the banks of a stream
does not necessarily mean you can catch trout on an imitation of the adult. The
only time the adults are going to be available for the trout to eat is when the
females are depositing their eggs.
Egg Ovipositiing:
Most stoneflies deposit their eggs during the night but some species do so during
the daylight hours. All of them prefer to deposit their eggs during low light
conditions. Overcast skies and rainy days may offer some opportunities for
anglers to catch trout on ovipositing stoneflies.
Stonefly Families:
There are nine families of stoneflies in the United States. All nine families are
found in the park's streams. Unlike caddisflies and mayflies it is usually not
necessary to determine these to any level below the family level. With only a very
few exceptions, there is very little difference in the genera of the families. Most all
of them are about the same size and shape. The colors of the nymphs and the
adults within a family can vary within the family. The best way to choose a fly to
match them in the event you are unable to identify a hatch is to catch one of the
adults and match it but this is not legal in the park. If you have patterns of the type
we recommend, then you would have a fly to match them. You can find the adults
by checking the bushes, trees and grass along the stream side for the stoneflies.
The nymphs are also easy to acquire. They can be found clinging to the bottom of
stones. Normally, you can pick up the stones from the bottom of the stream.
Picking up and moving rocks is illegal in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
Do not keep any of the adult insects you find. It is illegal to kill or to collect them
from the park.
Capniidae Family
Little Brown or Black Snowflies
This family of stoneflies are present in the park's streams and may be observed
during the winter months. They represent one of the few species of aquatic
insects that emerges and is available to the trout when the water is extremely
cold. Although these are classified as Little Brown Stoneflies for the most part,
they are black. Most anglers refer to them as Little Blacks and some as Little
Winter stoneflies.
Trout can be taken on nymph imitations of the Snowflies but imitations of the
adults are rarely productive. Trout are not very prone to rise to the surface to eat
the egg laying females on the surface in the very cold water that usually exist when
they hatch.
Leuctridae Family
Little Brown or Black Needleflies:
This family of stoneflies is very prevalent in the park's streams and especially so
in the higher elevations although they are present at all elevations. They are most
plentiful in the late summer and fall months of the year. They are abundant up until
very cold weather occurs. They can usually be found during the months of August
through December.
Many anglers confuse these small stoneflies with caddisflies because in the air
they look like brown caddisfleis. They look much larger flying than they actually
are. They are easy to identify because they are the only stoneflies that are slim,
long and shaped like needles. They have wings that roll around their bodies
rather than lie flat on the top of their backs. They deposit their eggs during the
daylight hours as well as after dark and trout can be taken on flies that imitate the
egg laying adults. Late afternoons provide the best opportunities.
Nemouridae Family
Little Brown or Black Forestflies:
Taeniopterygidae Family
Little Brown or Black Winter Stoneflies:
Both of these families of "Little Brown stoneflies exist in the park and like
some of the others classified as Little Browns. The adults are both brown and
black and all shades in between. Both families are so similar that anglers do not
need to be able to differentiate between them. The minute differences are only
important to entomologist and can only be determined with magnification.
Species of both families hatch during the winter or early springs months and
usually do so in fair to large quantities. Imitations of the nymphs work very well
just prior to and during a hatch. Some of the adults can usually be found
depositing their eggs before dark. Fish can be taken on the adult patterns during
this time but is not a reliable method of fishing. You will find several different
species of Little Black and Little Brown Stoneflies. This can be confusing to those
that pay close attention to it. Technically, there is no such thing as a Little Black
Stonefly. They are all Little Brown Stoneflies. Anglers call them Little Black
Stoneflies because they are just that-Little Black colored stonefles. So the bottom
line is that it makes no difference. You should match the size and color. We are
only pointing this out for those weekend entomologist that are ready to call our
attention to what they would call an error.
Chloroperlidae Family
Little Green Stoneflies:
The Little Green; stoneflies exist in the park in large numbers in a few streams.
They hatch in the summer after many other species have already hatched. These
are usually small stoneflies that probably average a hook size 16 or 18. The
adults of several of the species in this family are yellow and can easily be
confused with the Little Yellow stoneflies but this is not important as long as
anglers correctly match the size and color
Perlidae Family
Golden Stoneflies:
Species of the Golden Stonefly family are probably the most plentiful group of
stoneflies in the park. Most of these are very colorful as nymphs. Patterns of dark
brown and yellow distinguish them, especially those that are near maturity. The
adults range from a golden dull yellow color to a solid brown depending on the
species. Imitations of the nymphs can be very productive prior to a hatch. Most of
the egg laying activity occurs after dark but late afternoons may produce some
activity especially if low light conditions exist.
Perlodidae
Little Yellow Stoneflies
Species of the Isoperla genus of the Perlodidae family are usually called the
Yellow Sally but several other species are also called Yellow Sallies, so that
depends on what part of the country you are in. In the Smokies it seems most
anglers call any of the Little Yellow Stoneflies a Yellow Sally.
The Perlodidae family is one of two families that make up the Little Yellow Stonefly
group and are among the most plentiful group of mayflies in the park's streams.
These stoneflies usually hatch in the afternoons and usually begin to deposit their
eggs late in the afternoon prior to dark and continue to do for some time in the
evening. This makes it productive in most cases to imitate the egg laying activity
before dark. We have experienced very good results in the Smokies imitating the
egg laying activity of the Yellow Sallies.
Peltoperlidae (Roach Flies)
Little Yellow-Summer Stone
The Peltoperlidae family, called Roach Flies, are also little yellow stoneflies. They
are not as plentiful as the Perlodidae family but do exist in the park. We have not
experienced these in sufficient enough quantities to cause selective feeding but
we have found many of the adults and nymphs in several of the streams. Although
they are shaped slightly different (more like roaches) other imitations would
probably suffice to imitate them should you find them concentrated.
Pteronarcella Family:
Giant Stoneflies
The giant black stoneflies are plentiful in most all of the streams in the park. The
Pteronarcys dorsata is common in the park's streams. These are huge nymphs
that live for 3 or 4 years. Trout, especially the large browns, can be taken on
imitations of the large nymphs during the day during the hatch period, even though
the Giant Stoneflies hatch during the evenings. Imitations of the adults fished
during the day are rarely effective. These giant stoneflies hatch during the night.
Imitating the adults is not effective unless you fish at night and that is difficult to do
effectively in most of the streams. Spent patterns of the adults presented at the
end of the runs and heads of the pools may be effective if fished early in the
morning just after daylight.
Summary:
Stonefly nymphs are in every stream we have checked in the Great Smoky
Mountain Park. Normally, they are very plentiful. Since the families of larger ones,
the Goldens and the Giants live for 2 or 3 years, they are always in the streams in
all sizes. They are definitely a very important and abundant trout food in the small
freestone streams of the park. It is true most of them stay hidden most of the time.
Only a few small species have been found in a drift. Trout may have a hard time
finding one to eat unless it is trying to crawl to a bank to hatch, or the stonefly
nymph gets careless feeding at night. There is one thing you can count on,
however. The trout know they are there and they are ready and willing to pounce
on one whenever they get the opportunity.
Copyright 2011 James Marsh
Click Here For: Hatch Chart with Fly Selection
Giant Stonefly Nymph::This is
the huge stonefly nymph found
in most all of the Smoky
Mountain trout streams. It is the
Pteronarcys dorsata or Giant
Stonefly.
Perlodidae Stonefly Nymph:
the huge stonefly nymph found
in most all of the Smoky
Mountain trout streams. It is the
Pteronarcys dorsata or Giant
Stonefly.
Perlodidae Stonefly Nymph:
Golden Stonefly Shucks found
along the shoreline and on
rocks in the streams indicate
the large flies have already
hatched. Unless you fish at
night for the egg layers, you
have missed this hatch
along the shoreline and on
rocks in the streams indicate
the large flies have already
hatched. Unless you fish at
night for the egg layers, you
have missed this hatch
Little Winter Stonefly
Nymph:As you can see, these
little nymphs are slim and
long with long antennae (one
broken) and tails. These are
active when the water
temperature is in the thirties
and low forties.
Nymph:As you can see, these
little nymphs are slim and
long with long antennae (one
broken) and tails. These are
active when the water
temperature is in the thirties
and low forties.
The Needle Fly, Leuctridae
family, is one of the more
plentiful stoneflies in the park's
streams. These small
stoneflies look like caddisflies
in the air.
Stonefly shucks beside this
dime show the relative size of
two of the park's species. Both
of these were on a rock at the
same time indicating more
than one size of stoneflies were
hatching at that time.
family, is one of the more
plentiful stoneflies in the park's
streams. These small
stoneflies look like caddisflies
in the air.
Stonefly shucks beside this
dime show the relative size of
two of the park's species. Both
of these were on a rock at the
same time indicating more
than one size of stoneflies were
hatching at that time.
Thumbnails-click to enlarge
Thumbnails-click to enlarge