Throwing big nymphs and big dries adds an extra level of excitement to fly fishing.
These bigger patterns, like Golden Stoneflies, entice big and hungry fish.
Golden Stones often hatch right around dusk, so some of the biggest fish are beginning to hunt and usually love to eat goldens.
Any time you throw on a Golden Stonefly imitation in the April to October timeframe for this hatch, you can land a trophy.
All About the Golden Stonefly Hatch
A river with a Golden Stonefly hatch is a good sign that the river is in good condition.
They’re not the pickiest insects, but they require high oxygenation, fast water, and consistent flows. Golden Stones are famous in the Western United States and are generally found in tailwaters and spring-fed creeks. However, the Eastern United States has a healthy population of golden stones that hatch throughout the summer.
Golden Stoneflies hatch between April and October; their life cycle is the same as many of their other stonefly relatives.
After Golden Stones hatch from their egg, they turn into nymphs. They’ll stay nymphs for somewhere between one and three years. They eat fungi, bacteria, and even some other insects. As they’re readying for the adult stage, they’ll climb onto the river’s edge and other dry areas to complete the shed of their exoskeletons. Once shed, the adults will spend a few weeks feeding and then mating. Finally, the females will place their eggs on the water’s surface and die.
These large insects are favorites for trout. They are too easy and delicious of a meal for them to avoid. They’ll eat the females as they lay their eggs on the water or the nymphs crawling along the bottom. Golden Stoneflies patterns are some of the most fun patterns to use.
Our Best Golden Stonefly Patterns
Clark’s Golden Stone
Clark’s Golden Stone sits slightly lower in the water, so it can work great in that fast water if tied properly. Fish this right at the start of a golden stonefly hatch. This is a dry fly pattern you need in your fly box.
Fly Tying Materials
- Hook: Daiichi 1260 or 1280
- Thread: Danville 6/0 Orange
- Body: Gold flat mylar
- Underwing: Varigated gold yarn
- Wing: Elk or deer hair
- Hackle: 6 wraps of brown or ginger
Pat’s Rubber Legs
Pat’s Rubber Legs is a perfect golden stonefly nymph. It’s one fly pattern that works worldwide, but it’s especially effective in rivers and streams with healthy Golden Stonefly populations. It’s an active pattern that attracts all sizes of fish.
Fly Tying Materials
- Hook: Risen 300’s #10
- Weight: Lead Wire (.015)
- Thread: Brown Veevus 6/0
- Legs: Brown Bug Legs
- Body: Yellow Variegated Chenille
Yellow Sally Stonefly
Yellow Sallys are great imitators of adult Golden Stoneflies. These flies are great attractor patterns if you need to stand out amongst other adult stoneflies. Plus, it’s fairly easy to tie.
Fly Tying Materials
- Hook: 3x-long natural-bend hook Dai-Riki #14
- Thread: Olive 6/0 Denier
- Egg Sack: Orange rabbit fur dubbing
- Abdomen: Yellow rabbit fur dubbing
- Rib: Gold wire
- Rear hackle: Yellow hackle
- Wing: Bleached elk hair
- Front hackle: Grizzly hackle
- Thorax: Bright yellow rabbit fur
Chubby Chernobyl
The Chubby Chernobyl is the perfect dry fly option if you want versatility. It can easily imitate a Golden Stone and is a good choice for the top of your dry-dropper rig.
Fly Tying Materials
- Hook: Firehole Sticks 618 Foam & Nymph #4
- Thread: UTC Ultra thread 140-Denier– Yellow
- Tail: Krystal Flash– UV Tan
- Body: Ice Dub– UV Tan
- Foam: Fly Tying Foam – 3mm – UV Tan
- Wing: EP Fibers– White
- Legs: Speckled Centipede Legs – Brown
CDC Golden Stone
The CDC Golden Stone is a perfect stonefly nymph. It has great action when wet and is a good base for your dry-dropper rig. It’s effective wherever you’ll find Golden Stones.
Fly Tying Materials
- Hook: TMC 5262 #8-16
- Bead: Gold Tungsten
- Weight: Lead Wire
- Thread: Yellow 6/0 denier
- Tail: Dyed Yellow Pheasant Tail Barbs
- Rib: 4x Mono
- Flashback: Mirage Saltwater Flash
- Abdomen and Thorax: Golden Colored Nymph Dubbing
- Legs: Natural Brown CDC
- Collar: Gold Grizzly Hen Saddle
Simple Golden Stone
You’ll struggle to find a more accurate Golden Stonefly nymph representation than the Simple Golden Stone. Wherever you’re fishing for with these flies, this pattern will work. Be sure to tie it in a few different sizes.
Fly Tying Materials
- Hook: 3x-long Dai-Rikki nymph hook #8-16
- Bead: 7/64-inch, black
- Weight: Lead-free wire
- Thread: 7/0 Denier, yellow
- Dubbing ball: Golden Stone
- Rib: Brassie gold ultra wire
- Tail: Amber goose biots
- Back/Wingpads: pheasant tail fibers, died yellow
- Body: Australian possum, golden stone
Libby’s Stonefly
Sometimes, fish want a buggy-looking nymph. Throw on Libby’s Stonefly on those days, and you’re in good shape.
Fly Tying Materials
- Hook: TMC 5263 Nymph and Streamer Hook #4-8
- Thread: Yellow Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread – 6/0
- Underbody: Tan Polypropylene Floating Yarn
- Legs/Antennae: Life-flex spandex material
- Body: Olive Dirty Bug Yarn
- Wing: Nature’s Spirit Cow Elk Hackstrip
- Underwing: Khaki Hareline Super Select CDC
- Thorax: Brown Olive Hareline Super Select CDC
- Duggin: Hare-Tron Dubbing
Biot Stonefly
If you need a heavy fly that will get to the bottom where the fish are feeding, the Biot Stonefly is the best choice. Fish it as the first fly in a nymph rig.
Fly Tying Materials
- Hook: Risen 200 #10
- Thread: Brown Veevus 10/0
- Bead: 3.25 Gold Risen Counter Sunk Tungsten
- Biots: Yellow Turkey Biot Quill
- Dubbing: Natural Hareline
- Lead: .010 Lead Wire
- Marker: Brown Sharpie
- Wing Case: Cinnamon Tip Turkey Tail Feather
- Legs: Brown Hen Saddle
Masked Marauder 2.0
Last on the list of best Golden Stonefly patterns is the Masked Marauder. It’s a great nymph representation that will work all summer long.
Fly Tying Materials
- Hook: TMC 5262 Nymph Hook #10
- Bead: Gold Plummeting Tungsten Beads
- Thread: Mocha Brown Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread 8/0
- Tails: Rootbeer Grizzly Micro Legs
- Body: Golden Stone Hare-Tron Dubbing
- Case: Black Fine Skin
- Flash: Veevus Pearl Tinsel
- Legs: Black Grizzly Flutter legs
How To Fish a Golden Stonefly Hatch
One of the best ways to fish a golden stonefly hatch is with a dry-dropper setup. Tie on Clark’s Golden Stone and let a Pat’s Rubber Legs drift below it. This way, you can cover a ton of water and get the fish feeding on the surface and those feeding lower in the water column.
While golden stones will hatch in the mornings and evenings, some of the best fishing will happen in the evening. The larger fish are on the prowl, and golden stones are a worthy target. As the sun is setting, don’t pack up and leave. Throw large golden stonefly dries and wait for some of those larger fish to strike.
It’s also important to fish in fast water. Generally, they’re sitting on rocks, and fish are used to eating them here. Let your dry or nymph float through the riffles and wait for a strike.
If you’re fishing dries, don’t feel the need to be perfect with your presentation. They’re uncoordinated flies, so it’s relatively common for them to smack the water. A less-than-perfect presentation can work in your favor.
Don’t hesitate to give it action once the fly is on the water. Adult golden stoneflies are active on the water, so vary your retrieve, and don’t be afraid to move the rod tip and get it moving.
