Stonefly Hooksets: It’s Important to Evaluate Water Depth

Stonefly Hooksets: It’s Important to Evaluate Water Depth

There’s an old wive’s tale in fly-fishing circles that you can tell what kind of bug a trout is eating by the type of rise the fish makes: A splashy take is a caddis “eat,” while a subtle sip suggests the fish is eating mayflies, and so on, and so forth.

I used to believe this myself, but the more I fish, the more I think the fish’s rise character has more to do with the type of water they’re in–how fast the water is, how wavy, and most importantly, how deep.

This is especially true when it comes to stoneflies and stonefly eats. And that also can, and should, dictate how you go about setting the hook. A splashy rise in shallow water requires quick reaction timing, whereas a deliberate munch from deep down below might require a more patient approach. These are the hooksets you hear about, where you’re supposed to utter “God save the Queen” under your breath before setting the hook.

Daniel Hackett, who guides in Tasmania, turned me onto this phenomenon when we were fishing together on the Mersey near Launceston, Tasmania, several years ago. It’s uncanny how a fish that slinks up from the depths to grab a big dry fly really requires a slight pause before the hookset–you almost want to be sure the fish is pointed back downward. And that’s true anywhere trout eat flies in the world.

When a fish makes a splashy rise in shallow water, more often than not, the fish is making a lateral “attack,” swiping the fly from the side. In those cases, the hook sometimes sets itself.

So, be thinking about that when you start chasing the most epic dry fly eats of the summer–the fabled stonefly hatch. Figure out how deep the water is, roughly, where you’ll be casting, and you’ll notice, if you see fish feeding, that the rise forms will be a bit different, depending on the depth. And that will tell you something about how you’ll want to set the hook, if you get a player up and interested. – Kirk Deeter

Five Stonefly Tips

1. Go small or go home? During June’s big stonefly (Pteronarcys) events, everyone will be throwing big bugs to move big fish, at least that’s the theory. But don’t forget that Yellow Sally Stoneflies hatch at the same time and can be a big part of the trout’s diet. In many instances, they’re actually more important than the Salmonflies. Why is this the case? Biomass. For every ten Pteronarcys a fish sees in an afternoon, they might also see hundreds and hundreds of Yellow Sallies. They are smaller bugs, but many more of them are around, and the fish notice.

2. “Avoid the heart of the hatch”–great tip from Montana Angler fishing outfitter Brian McGeehan when fishing Salmonflies on the Madison River. Fish can actually become engorged and stop feeding because so many bugs are around. Try to focus on the leading (upper) edge of the hatch, or come from behind and fish a few days after the emergence has passed through. Fish have a pretty strong memory to big stoneflies and will be actively feeding on them for weeks. 

3. A little movement never hurt. Stoneflies can be big clumsy insects, running, tumbling and skittering on and across the river surface, often triggering fish to attack. Of course, the correct bug you’re fishing is important, but so is its ability to appear alive. A little fly movement, here and there, can often get a fish’s attention. Fast, shallow water is a great place to experiment.

4. Speaking of “tumbling,” big stonefly nymphs are also clumsy creatures that get dislodged and kicked into the current when they emerge, or are crawling around. A classic Roaring Fork River guide hack is to throw a non-slip mono loop (also known as a “Kreh Loop,” for fishing legend Lefty Kreh) above a big stonefly nymph to give it a more natural “tumbling” action. Fish like movement, particularly when it’s the right kind.

5. Slap your stoneflies. Fish can often be triggered by the sound, or vibrations, from big stoneflies hitting the water. Try to intentionally power your forward cast, so your fly slaps the water with a little more sound and commotion. As long as you don’t get into the bad habit of tailing your loops, you might be surprised by the results… 

Product Buzz

We review the Epic Reference 4-weight 476 FastGlass fly rod: “This small dry fly rod blends function with fun, very neatly, and very intuitively.” The Skwala Carbon Jacket is a light, packable rain jacket for travel and warmer weather. We check out the Monic Precision Dry Stealth fly line for making accurate casts and precise, delicate presentations at short range. Field & Stream tests and reviews a bunch of waders. The importance of staying hydrated on the water: “Take hydration seriously when fishing.” Romano also shows you how to remove a fish hook “without a trip to the doctor…”

Fly-fishing News

The Flyfish Journal launches their new podcast, Sidechannels, and interviews esteemed writer David James Duncan. Filmmaker, Rolf Nylinder, goes fishing for asp, chub and perch in southern Sweden with bread flies. The TORT crew heads to Norway for mayflies and rising fish. Hatch Magazine’s Reading The Water podcast interviews fly-fishing writer, conservationist and angler Craig Mathews: “Do What the River Tells You to Do.” AnyCreek, a Memphis-based startup simplifying access to guided experiences, announces a successful funding round. Deeter writes a tribute to angler and author Chris Santella. 

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