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Written tying guide

Brown nymph-skin stonefly · goose-biot tails

5 numbered steps and a complete materials list for this dressing.

Read the tying steps
Stonefly nymph / Pattern notes

Latex Stone

A stonefly nymph built with a wrapped latex abdomen, paired biot tails and a dubbed thorax.

Latex Stone is a descriptive stonefly family in the source index. This brown starting dressing follows a separately published latex stonefly recipe; it is not presented as the proprietary dressing behind the index photo.

At the vise
Advanced
Common sizes
#8–12
From hook to fly

At the vise.

5 steps

Work through the numbered steps in order, using the materials list and written proportions as your guide.

  1. Set the biot tails

    Cover the hook shank with fiery-brown thread. Tie one goose biot on each side of the bend with the tips splayed back and slightly outward.

    Bench note Keep the tails similar in length and opposite in angle.

  2. Wrap a latex abdomen

    Secure a narrow brown latex strip at the tail base. Wind it forward in overlapping turns over the rear part of the shank, stretching evenly to show a segmented, tapered abdomen.

    Bench note Stop with enough room for a distinct thorax and head.

  3. Anchor legs and shellback

    Tie short golden-pheasant fibers on each side of the open thorax area as legs. Secure a second nymph-skin strip on top at the abdomen front, with its free length pointing rearward.

    Bench note Keep the fibers outside the shellback tie-in point.

  4. Dub the thorax

    Wind fiery-brown dubbing over the front of the hook to build a fuller thorax. Keep the side legs free and leave a small thread-head space behind the eye.

    Bench note The thorax should be fuller than the latex abdomen.

  5. Close and finish

    Draw the nymph-skin strip forward over the thorax as a narrow shellback, secure and trim it. Whip finish a compact head and clear the hook eye.

    Bench note Center the latex cover before tightening the final wraps.

Beyond the bench

On the water.

Fish the nymph low in suitable stonefly water and adjust the rig to maintain a useful drift. The latex body is a visual material choice, not a claim of an exact local insect match.

Tied by independent makers

Find your Latex Stone.

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No versions are listed yet. Choose a tyer and ask about your sizes, colors and materials. The tyer must confirm availability and send an offer.

One fly, several listings

Names and colors in the source index

Flys and Guides ↗ uses these labels for this fly. The recipe above describes the stated version; change materials where a colorway calls for it.

  • Latex Stone Fly – Black
  • Latex Stone – Brown

Recipe references

Original written instructions adapted from the sources below. Materials and methods may vary between versions.

For the same fly box.

Bitch Creek NymphStonefly nymph · #4–10Rubber Leg NymphStonefly nymph · #6–10Stonefly NymphStonefly nymph · #6–8