Sunk Alloperla

Created by Jeff Morgan

HOOK: Dai Riki 300 size 12-16 THREAD: Chartreuse 8/0 BUTT: Two wraps of red dubbing BODY: Chartreuse green dubbing WINGS: Chartreuse or tan treated Raffia LEGS: Chartreuse deer hair, dubbed sparse

Uses

This fly is a nice pattern for the adult female green stonefly (Alloperla, among other genera). They frequently plop on the surface too hard, get caught in the meniscus, and drown. Unlike many kinds of caddis, these stoneflies do not crawl underwater and lay eggs on the substrate.

 
The red dubbing on the butt matches the eggs carried by female stoneflies when they return to the river to oviposit.

How to Fish

Use shallow nymph tactics.

 
This is a good fly to fish in tandem (or threesome) with diving caddis patterns if there is heavy egg-laying activity in the midsummer. The bright color of this pattern seems to draw in more trout, which take the caddis droppers more frequently than if I fished them alone.

Tying Instructions

1. Tie on thread.

 
2. Make two wraps of bright red dubbing at the end of the hook shank

 
3. Dub a thin chartreuse body.

 
4. Take chartreuse raffia coated with Flexament (dry). Tie in over back and trim to stonefly wing shape (narrow, flat, and 30% longer than the body).

 
5. Dub a sparse "head"(actually head and legs of chartreuse deer hair).

 
6. Whipfinish and cement head.