Michigan Flies

Hatches / stonefly

Early Black Stonefly

A

Taeniopteryx nivalis (also T. burksi, T. parvula)

Also called Early Black Stone, Black Willowfly, Taeniopteryx, Winter Stonefly.

The bigger early black stone, #10-14, emerging from late February through April on warm afternoons and the first insect that Michigan steelhead see in numbers. Nymphs crawl to shore to emerge and drift heavily beforehand, so a weighted black stonefly nymph such as the Sly Stone Wiggle drifted along the banks is the main fly; on the Muskegon and Pere Marquette it fishes from mid-February. When females return to lay eggs on sunny afternoons, trout and even steelhead will take a #12-14 black CDC-wing adult skated on the surface. The Upper Manistee lists early black stones as its April hatch.

#10–16middayafternoonnymphadultblack to very dark brown bodydark smoky wingdark brown-black nymph

Brighton Lee · CC0 · iNaturalist · Berrien County, MI · 2025

Timing by region

  1. Southeast Lower Peninsula
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    Feb 7 – Apr 16
    Peak
    —
  2. Southwest Lower Peninsula
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    Feb 11 – Apr 20
    Peak
    —
  3. Northeast Lower Peninsula
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    Feb 21 – Apr 30
    Peak
    —
  4. Northwest Lower Peninsula
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    Feb 21 – Apr 30
    Peak
    —
  5. Upper Peninsula
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    Mar 14 – May 21
    Peak
    —
  6. Muskegon River below Croton Damlocal chart
    1. J
    2. F
    3. M
    4. A
    5. M
    6. J
    7. J
    8. A
    9. S
    10. O
    11. N
    12. D
    Window
    Feb 15 – May 31
    Peak
    —

Flies that match

Black Stonefly Nymph (reference photo)Reference photo
Black Stonefly Nymph
A
Nymph#6–18BlackTed's Early Black StoneMercer's Biot Epoxy Stone (dark)+1

The Little Black Stonefly (Allocapnia, Taeniopteryx) is the first insect steelhead see in numbers, peaking late February through April, and Current Works ranks it among Michigan's top five steelhead flies, best on sunny days in clear water. Nymphs stir at 36 F water and crawl on shelf ice; fish a weighted #8 to #12 stone as the point fly with an egg on a tag, and #14 to #18 for the tiny winter stones. Chuck Hawkins ties it large during spring runoff.

Indicator nymphing · Chuck and duck · Euro / tight-line nymphing

Reserve · $2.75
Sly Stone Wiggle (reference photo)Reference photo
Sly Stone Wiggle
A
Nymph#10–14Black

A tungsten, articulated early black stonefly nymph from Hallowed Waters for the February through May Allocapnia and Taeniopteryx drift on the Muskegon tailwater and other alkaline groundwater rivers. Fish it on warm sunny afternoons from 1 to 4 pm when the nymphs migrate toward the banks.

Indicator nymphing · Euro / tight-line nymphing

Reserve · $2.75
Sly Sister Stone (reference photo)Reference photo
Sly Sister Stone
A
Dry fly#12–14Black with CDC wing

A CDC-winged adult early black stonefly for the egg-laying flights on warm late-winter afternoons, when females beat their wings continuously on the surface. Fish it noon to 4 pm on the Muskegon and Pere Marquette from late February through April for resident trout and the occasional rising steelhead.

Dry fly

Reserve · $3.00