# Overated Stones?



## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

Guys and gals, what is your take on the pteronarcy californica (salmonfly, stonefly hatch)?
Is it overated as some have stated? What has been your experience both with local and "fabled" waters around the West? Please chime in. 

I will use some of the responses in an on-line article. If you prefer not to have your comments used, please state so, otherwise I will assume your response to the questions is fair game.

Thanks!


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## kochanut (Jan 10, 2010)

as far as fabled waters go.... i have had the opertunity to fish many many "fabled" waters in CO, MT, WY, and ID..... in ID i do think it is worth all of the hype, especially if you catch it just right. and thats about the extent of my speil.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

My comments previously were directed soley on the Blacksmith- other larger rivers in neighboring states to the north live up to the hype if you happen to be there at the correct time.
The Blacksmith has less actual river that is legally fishable now than it did in b4 2008. Everyone will be driven to the remaining streches. The email from the local fly shop stating the Hatch is on and we have the best fly only sold in the shop- doesn't help the situation out either. Like I said previously I don't fish that hatch anymore and fish else where. The Blacksmith actually has better hatches in the year than the Stone hatch that are better fishing. If someone enjoys that great and I really do hope it's all you had hoped it would be- it's just not for me anymore.


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## blackdog (Sep 11, 2007)

Overrated in fish catching, yes. Overrated in fun factor, absolutely not. To me there's nothing funner in fly fishing then catching large trout on large dries. I catch more fish on SF nymphs in the days leading up to the hatch then on dries during the hatch. I also find the dry fly fishing to be better a few days after the hatch has moved through. The trout have gorged themselves on the SF nymph migration that by the time they start flying around, the trout are full. I chase the SF hatch all over the place, last weekend on a certain river we absolutely killed them on nymphs. The adults should be coming off by now, the only reason I'm not there fishing is because the weather forecast for the area was bad, but I suspect as many fish as we caught on nymphs last week, the fish have gorged themselves that we wouldn't of caught the numbers on dries this week. Which brings in the fun factor part, I would rather catch less fish on dries than more on nymphs.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Very true of the nymph fishing- fished this weekend- a few risers to dries- a few caught on nymphs- then headed up and watched cutts spawn and caught browns.


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## scott_rn (Sep 11, 2007)

I've never planned an outing just to fish a stonefly hatch. I've tied em' & I've caught fish on em' but I've never gone too far out of my way to do it.

Now when the hoppers hatch, that's the time to hit the water.


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## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

Salmon/Stonefly fishing is some of, if not the most fun fishing there is. To use such big bugs, and have the fish be so aggressive on the take is amazing. You don't have to have the best presentation, just slap that baby on the water and wait for the explosion. Fish are gorging themselves and will take almost anything you throw at them. Just follow the migration up river and have the time of your life!


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

I don't do the stone fly hatch, but if it's anything like the Cicada hatch at the Green, it must be a blast!
How can catching aggressive fish on big dry flies ever be over rated?


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## Tony (Dec 28, 2007)

I love to fish any kind of stone because a lot of people take one look at how big of a profile the stonefly actually is, and are sort of put off by its size... the opposite view should be taken. Big fly = Big fish. You can fish winter stones all winter, then ease into goldens, salmonflies, and whatever else you happen across. Yellow sally hatches can be a blast, even if you are fishing somewhat small patterns


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## torowy (Jun 19, 2008)

I can't think of anything more fun that having trout crash a giant dry fly!


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

I wouldn't describe is as over or underrated; it is what it is. A very short lived hatch with giant bugs with a short window of opportunity. Given the giant size of the bugs, the fish fill up on them quickly. Most stretches of rivers have about a day and a half to two day window when the fish are up crashing the bugs on the surface with reckless abandon. Most people don't spend enough time on a particular piece of water to time the hatch just right. Just because you show up to a particular stretch of river, see salmonflies around, and don't get fish to come up and eat the adults, doesn't mean they weren't on them two or three days ago. Streamflow also plays a big part in it. If the bugs come off and the water is high, a large number of salmonfly nymphs will be in the drift and the fish will key in on those nymphs because it is more efficient for them to eat the available nymphs in the drift than to expend excess calories and energy to chase adults on the surface in faster water. If you have a good understanding of stream hydrology you realize that the water on the surface (especially in smaller rivers) is usually flowing about 50% faster than the water near the stream bottom thanks to friction. When the water is not high and fast, the fish are a lot more likely to come up to the surface because they are easier to reach for one, and for two; the nymphs will not be as available in the drift because with lower water, fewer bugs will be dislodged by the current so they will be crawling across the rocks along the banks looking for a place to come out and hatch. One more thing to keep in mind is that Salmonflies crawl out of the water to hatch. They do not hatch through the water column like most mayflies, midges, and caddis. They end up in the water because they fall from streamside foliage, are clumsy fliers, or are depositing eggs. Therefore most of the adults that end up in the water end up landing near the banks. I can recall a day this year throwing adults to some gorgeous mid rivers seams and eddies to no avail but big fish were coming up and smacking the #4 adults in marginal holding water near the banks.

If you're only experience on fishing salmonflies in Utah is the Blacksmith, then you should venture to some of the other streams in Utah than have them. Most of the fish in the BSF are barely big enough to fit them n their mouth. Those streams shall remain nameless but if you do a little due diligence then you can find some fisheries that are way more fun with way bigger fish than the BSF.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Fished manyyaers of stone hatches thru out Utah and western states ,I understand what you are saying and my comments were totally directed at the BSF.


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

I hear ya Packfish. I bet we like to fish the same stretches of the other big stone rivers to the north!


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

> venture to some of the other streams in Utah than have them. Most of the fish in the BSF are barely big enough to fit them n their mouth. Those streams shall remain nameless but if you do a little due diligence then you can find some fisheries that are way more fun with way bigger fish than the BSF.


So, with all that in mind, where do we stand? With the run-off in full bloom, are we too late or too early for the stones?


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

I doubt that the Stones will appear in Utah this year but
Paul McCartney will be here! *-band-* *-band-* *-band-* *-band-*


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

He could give me a front row ticket and I'd toss it.

Though that was a humorous response


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## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

.45 said:


> > venture to some of the other streams in Utah than have them. Most of the fish in the BSF are barely big enough to fit them n their mouth. Those streams shall remain nameless but if you do a little due diligence then you can find some fisheries that are way more fun with way bigger fish than the BSF.
> 
> 
> So, with all that in mind, where do we stand? With the run-off in full bloom, are we too late or too early for the stones?


Remember there are stones in many tailwater streams that are not effected by runoff as much. One example is the Middle Provo... I'll leave the others I know nameless. :O•-:


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

Salmonflies are all wrapped up now but Golden stones will be going here soon. I was up in you're stomping grounds on Sat. .45. High and muddy with no stones or drakes to be seen.



> I doubt that the Stones will appear in Utah this year but
> Paul McCartney will be here! *-band-* *-band-* *-band-* *-band-*


I don't care who you are, thats funny right there!


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Nor-tah said:


> Remember there are stones in many tailwater streams that are not effected by runoff as much. One example is the Middle Provo... I'll leave the others I know nameless. :O•-:


Who said anything about 'tailwaters' ? 



flyguy7 said:


> Salmonflies are all wrapped up now but Golden stones will be going here soon. I was up in you're stomping grounds on Sat. .45. *High and muddy with no stones or drakes to be seen*.


Figures, now watch, I'll get up there exactly one week too late, like I do every year... :|

btw...... *Grandpa D* needs to go fishing, he should take that kook *wyogoob* with him !! :lol:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I heard that.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Grandpa D said:


> I doubt that the Stones will appear in Utah this year but
> Paul McCartney will be here! *-band-* *-band-* *-band-* *-band-*


That's a goodun!


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

It's a year later- the hatch is going on the Blacksmith- (0:


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Packfish said:


> It's a year later- the hatch is going on the Blacksmith- (0:


Good, I will check one other river, but they wasn't as of last Friday.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Personally I prefer the _Lumbricus terrestris_.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

They are on- but if it's not a good sunny day now I don't think you are going to see a great hatch coming off- now Sat you might if the weather is good. Even if it is like it was last Sat and Sunday slapping big bugs where you can find eddies or slack side water that is pretty off colored and yanking fish to the bank isn't much fun for me anymore. There is a whole lot better fishing to be had right now- just isn't on most of the Cache Valley's moving water- Now there is a place in Cache Valley where the water is moving that it's worth going - just not a long stretch though.


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## F/V Gulf Ventur (Oct 8, 2007)

HighNDry said:


> Guys and gals, what is your take on the pteronarcy californica (salmonfly, stonefly hatch)?
> Is it overated as some have stated? What has been your experience both with local and "fabled" waters around the West? Please chime in.
> 
> I will use some of the responses in an on-line article. If you prefer not to have your comments used, please state so, otherwise I will assume your response to the questions is fair game.
> ...


Pteronarcys californica - highly overrated, on any river system. Fun, yes, good fishing, no. Flows are always unstable, weather and frost is an issue, and it's just not that good. But the Claassenia sabulosa stones = awesome


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