That Time of Year.

With the weather at or near record highs across the east coast and it being February, I thought I would reflect on a forgotten insect that emerges during warm afternoons in January and February, the Little Black Stonefly. I have been fortunate to be on the water when these tiny stones are emerging, often crawling up onto the ice and snow along the edges of streams and rivers. Many times, fisherman overlook the Little Black Stonefly, while those that don't are rewarded. I have caught many a brown trout imitating these small stones and it is a delight to match a hatch in the dead of winter.

Well, Hello Beautiful...

We Are Talking Small...

I often tie Little Black Stones using size 16 to 20 extra long nymph hooks, with black turkey biots, pheasant tail, and some black paintbrush bristles. Using the biots as the abdomen makes a very slim profile, and the paintbrush bristles as tails and legs add to that design. I use the pheasant tail or peacock hurl as the thorax for a little glistening but other than that its a very simple pattern that produces.

Yellow Breeches Brown on a Little Black Stone.

January 2008

Hickory Run Brown on a Little Black Stone.

February 2008

I would like to thank Moldy Chum for this sweet link to watch A River Runs Through It online for free. Im sitting in the University of Delaware's library writing this post and about to bang out some lesson plans for student teaching with the adaptation of Norman Maclean's words ringing in my ears. Nothing like getting your daily fix in, anyway you can.

"How the hell do you help that son of a bitch?"

"By taking him fishing"

http://crackle.com/c/A_River_Runs_Through_It/A_River_Runs_Through_It/2410847

The Best of Signs.