Michigan Flies

Hatches / stonefly

Early Brown Stonefly

A

Strophopteryx fasciata and Taeniopteryx spp. (identity inferred; no Michigan source names it)

Also called Early Brown Stone, Strophopteryx, Willowfly.

The brown stonefly that follows the early blacks from mid-March into early May, on the water from early afternoon into evening. Nymphs crawl to the bank to emerge, so a #12 brown stonefly nymph drifted tight to the edges in the afternoon is the main fly; the adults matter mostly when females return to lay eggs on warm afternoons and a brown Stimulator or CDC stone twitched near the bank will draw a rise. It overlaps the first Hendricksons and Blue Quills in late April. Species identity has not been confirmed by any Michigan source.

#10–14afternooneveningnymphadultbrown to reddish-brown bodybrown mottled wingbrown nymph with banded legs

nmacelko2 · CC0 · iNaturalist · (1)Dauphin County, PA · 2020

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
    Mar 1 – Apr 26
    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
    Mar 5 – Apr 30
    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
    Mar 15 – May 10
    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
    Mar 15 – May 10
    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
    Apr 5 – May 31
    Peak
    —

Flies that match

Pat's Rubber Legs (reference photo)Reference photo
Pat's Rubber Legs
A
Nymph#4–10BlackBrownCoffee-black+1

A U.P. steelhead guide's nymph rig runs double-bead stoneflies and Pat's Rubber Legs #8 to #10 in black and brown as the point fly ahead of an egg or caddis. For trout it is a generic big stonefly for the Pine, Upper Manistee and Sturgeon, fished deep in fast water year-round; Michigan trout sources do not name it, so treat the trout use as generic.

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

Reserve · $2.75
Early Brown Stonefly Nymph (reference photo)Reference photo
Early Brown Stonefly Nymph
A
Nymph#10–14BrownBrown-olive

Michigan charts list the Early Brown Stonefly #10 to #14 from March 15 to May 10, 1 to 7 pm, following the black stones as the trout opener approaches. Dead-drift a brown stone nymph along the edges of riffles in April on the Au Sable and Manistee before the Hendricksons start.

Indicator nymphing · Euro / tight-line nymphing

Reserve · $2.75