Stoneflies are almost always the largest aquatic insect available in any moving water, offering trout an abundance of calories in a single bite. Add their year-round availability as a food source and a dependable stonefly nymph becomes a fly you can confidently fish almost any time. Flipping a few rocks and looking for casings near the edge of the stream will give you a good idea of the size and color of stoneflies that are present and quickly illustrate their unique anatomy—long antennae and an abundance of legs—both of which create a lot of motion in the water.

The CDC Stonefly is tied with large biots to imitate the antennae and tail and a CDC feather collar to create natural movement. Topped off with a heavy tungsten bead, this fly gets down near the bottom quickly. And because it’s tied on a jig hook, hangups happen less frequently.

Our favorite ways to fish it: 

• As the top (point) fly when you’re nymphing, with a smaller weighted or unweighted nymph below it. This will get the stonefly into the middle of the water column, imitating an emerging or swimming insect.

• As your bottom fly, with a smaller, unweighted nymph above it. This will get your whole rig down faster and closer to the bottom, where stoneflies can be found tumbling in the current after being dislodged from rocks and sticks.

• As a dropper if you’re fishing a salmonfly hatch and the dry fly is big enough to suspend the weight of the CDC Stonefly nymph. 

Type of Water: Rivers, Creeks 

Imitates: Stonefly 

Target Species: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout

Insect Life Stage: Larva

Pair it with: Ol’ Dirty Worm, Little Leech, Green Machine, Funky P, Classic Bugger, QB Butano