Shallow, calm water near structure can yield big time results when
fishing a stonefly hatch. Adults of many stonefly species on rivers and
streams throughout North America will often find themselves blown or
shaken from the safety of the riverside foliage, back into the moving
water from which they hatched. When trout see these dark morsels float
by, a slow fishing day can turn epic in an instant!
This is precisely why creative fly tyer, Mike Mercer, designed his
Flush Floater Salmonfly pattern. With a segmented foam body,
ultra-buggy rubber legs and antennae, and a shock of deer hair and
synthetic fibers for wings, this fly sits flush in calm drifts -- just
like the real thing. Mercer's Flush Floater Salmonfly is a great
imitation to toss at sipping trout in slow water or hard biting fish in
faster riffles! See you on the winding stretches of the Deschutes this
Spring!
Specifications:
- This fly was developed by creative fly tyer Mike Mercer for fishing stonefly hatches in slower water
- The fly is constructed with closed cell, segmented fly tying foam and stiff deer or elk hair for high floatation and visibility in rough water
- Black stonefly (giant salmonfly) imitation in the adult life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- Drift the fly through different water types; faster riffles and shallower water near the banks of a river with moderate to slow currents are the most productive water types for this fly
- Black stoneflies nymphs are available to trout all year long in trout water throughout North America, but are most prolific during the spring months from March through May
- Hatches occur consistently and with long duration throughout the daylight hours
- Strikes on black stoneflies are often far from subtle because trout must often be prepared to rip these strong clingers from their rocky homes
- When approaching a shallow water environment with a stonefly nymph, be extremely careful not to spook happily feeding trout
- SIZE 6
When and Where to Fish Mercer's Flush Floater Salmonfly
This large adult stonefly can be fished as either an impressionistic
fly pattern when searching for trout or as a realistic imitation when
matching the hatch. When searching, fish this fly in riffles, well
defined current seams, areas below faster currents, and near exposed
rocky structure and streamside vegetation. Shallow water near the river
bank will also be productive when fishing a black stonefly hatch, so be
sure to survey the scene thoroughly. These adults do not possess strong
flying ability, however, and are often swept into the main current’s
drift – look for these floating specimens in the main drift as well as
shallower, less energetic water near sheltered areas. Prior to and
during emergence, an angler will easily spot these nymphs crawling from
the rocky depths to the shallower water along the river bank and
eventually to the surface of exposed rocks and vegetation to shed their
shucks and hatch into winged adults – this is the sign to begin fishing
the black stonefly hatch.
How to Fish Mercer's Flush Floater Salmonfly
Fish this fly in a variety of water types; because of their aggressive
and migratory feeding nature, strong crawling ability, and widespread
proliferation in all kinds of trout water, just about anywhere within a
healthy aquatic ecosystem can be prime real estate for black
stoneflies. A popular strategy is to fish these patterns on a dead
drift right through the main current – drifting a black stonefly adult
through faster riffles, current seams, and the slower water just below
these areas can yield excellent results. Stonefly nymphs emerge after
crawling to the safety of the shoreline rather than shedding their
nymphal shucks in the water’s surface film like mayflies. This pre- and
during-emergence behavior renders shallower streamside water quite
productive water for adult stonefly patterns. Black stones make
themselves available throughout the day all year long. Because these
flies are very large, be sure to use terminal tackle that can handle
the size and weight of the fly. Generally a shorter leader of 7 or 8
feet in length and a tippet diameter of 4X will do the trick. Trout
prey on these giant stoneflies hungrily and voraciously, so don’t be
surprised when you feel an aggressive take – set the hook confidently
and with care if you happen to be fishing with lighter leaders and
tippet material!
Black Stonefly (Giant Salmonfly)
The black stonefly is commonly known, especially in the American west,
as the “giant salmonfly.” This relatively large stonefly enjoys wide
distribution throughout well-oxygenated freestone rivers and streams;
when the ecosystem is healthy, an angler ought to be able to turn a
rock or sift through streamside vegetation and find at least a few of
these clinging nymphs. The black stonefly is deep obsidian in color and
takes on a buggy sheen under light. As winged adults, these stoneflies
loose much of their jet black sheen and develop brilliant orange
accents, especially along their undersides. Giant salmonflies are
easily identified by their long, brown-tipped antennae, long segmented
abdomens, and short pair of darkly colored tails. Populations of these
nymphs are active throughout the year, but can be quite prolific during
the early season from as early as April, with solid hatches often
lasting through the mid-summer month of July.
Black Stonefly (Giant Salmonfly) Adult Life Stage
After migration to the foliage and rocks of the shoreline, black
stoneflies shed the remainder of their nymphal shucks and quickly find
mates under the protective cover of streamside vegetation. The
fertilized females will then fly clumsily above the water, quickly
darting to the surface to deposit eggs, making themselves easy targets
for aggressive surface-feeding trout. Many adults will also fall from
the safety of streamside trees, weeds, and other vegetation. These
unfortunate bugs wind up swept along with the main current and will
often collect in the slower water of eddys and along deeper cut banks.
Black stoneflies in their adult stage are easily spotted as they are
quite active during and after their streamside mating time. Adults of
the species can be quite large and take on a distinctive black
coloration with bright orange highlights.
About the Tyer: Mike Mercer
Mike Mercer is a self-proclaimed “hopeless fly fishing junkie with an
incurable addiction to the vise.” Such honest and direct words are not
surprising from Mr. Mercer, a fly angler and tyer known for his
innovative uses of fly tying materials and creative fly designs. In
fact, it wouldn’t be off the mark to say his fly patterns actually
reflect both his honesty and directness.
Mercer has been fishing all his life, but catching his first smallmouth
bass on a fly rod blew open the proverbial gates, sending him deep into
the fly fishing world. With the help of his grandfather’s old pickup
truck, Mercer explored the fantastic trout water of California’s rich
wilderness areas. With his youthful enthusiasm for traveling with a fly
rod, he actually opened a fly shop of his own. At Mike Mercer’s Rod and
Fly (doubling as the basement of his parents’ house) a fly fisher could
find a selection of custom fly rods, fly fishing and fly tying
magazines, and Mike himself, behind the vise, whipping up box loads of
custom flies.
As a fly fishing guide, writer, travel consultant, and creative fly
tyer, Mercer has been able to form a unique perspective on the sport
and share it with other fly anglers across the world. His fly designs
have appeared in magazine, in books, and with the help of Umpqua
Feather Merchants, anglers across the globe have been able to fish a
Mike Mercer creation hard and with great success in waters near and
far.
Mercer’s designs often hinge on an idea that “seems obvious” but from a
design perspective, these are often the very best kinds of ideas.
Mercer continues to create great flies and is a tremendous resource to
the fly fishing and fly tying community.
Leland on Umpqua
In
1972 a man named Dennis Black and his fly tying skills found themselves
in high demand. Mr. Black, then a professional production fly tyer, was
famous in the industry for his unsurpassed skill and speed with
whipping up tremendously beautiful and precisely constructed flies. It
wasn’t long until this young fly tying superstar realized that he ought
to take his consistent approach to quality to the next level. Shortly
after this realization, a small army of fly tyers had banded together
to support Mr. Black’s vision. With the likes of Dave Whitlock, Jack
Dennis, and Andy Puyans, Mr. Black was officially in business.
Dennis
Black’s new company Umpqua Feather Merchants quickly extended its reach
and fly production capabilities with expansion into India, Sri Lanka,
and Thailand, where the world’s first and full blown “fly tying
factories” were built. Since those early days, only the highest
standard of excellence has marked Umpqua and this commitment to quality
and efficiency continues to spur the company forward. Dennis Black’s
innovative vision for “fly production” has truly revolutionized how the
fly industry operates and has ultimately made the majority of
production flies better. From the first “royalty system” for rewarding
the most creative professional fly tyers to streamlining production
systems and offering a range of other products, Umpqua Feather
Merchants just seems to “do it all.”
Today, Umpqua Feather Merchants
is without a doubt the world’s best and most prolific supplier of hand
tied fly fishing flies as well as fly tying hooks and materials, and
they recently got better! Umpqua’s brand new, state of the art
headquarters in Louisville, Colorado marks another paradigm shift in
the way fly tying business is done. From its vast warehouse to its
specially designed inventory management and tracking system, Umpqua is
poised to continue its energetic trajectory and lead the way for the
next generation of flies and fly tyers.
Umpqua on Umpqua
"As
you may or may not know, we're the largest producer of quality
hand-tied flies in the world. We also make available through your local
fly shop a wide array of the finest fly-tying hackle and Tiemco hooks.
At Umpqua we offer everything the angler needs to a have a first
class fishing experience. (Everything that is, but the water and the
fish.)"
Umpqua on Dennis Black and the “Obvious Quest”
“The
idea first took shape in the hands of our founder, Dennis Black, back
in 1972. As a fast and facile professional fly tyer, Dennis was known
for his skill and speed at producing hundreds of dozens of flies each
year for the larger mail order houses. But he was also quick to realize
how fast the demand for excellent flies would outstrip the abilities of
cottage industry types like him.
The Obvious Quest: To create
excellent flies in sufficient supply – without sinking his standards.
In response, Dennis developed (with characteristic care) a methodical
plan: First, he enlisted the tying expertise of the likes of Dave
Whitlock, Jack Dennis, Andy Puyans and others, to help him set the
standard of excellence for Umpqua flies.
Next, Dennis established the
first of what would eventually be five separate fly-tying “factories,”
first in India, then in Sri Lanka, and finally in Thailand. The primary
focus at each of these factories was on producing the very best fishing
flies possible, constructed of the very best materials available. From
the beginning, the quantity of flies produced was secondary to the
quality and excellence of each fly pattern. These high standards were
assured by the personal involvement of the fly designers themselves,
and by the ever-increasing skill, imagination and creativity of the
Umpqua production fly tiers. Today, you will find no flies more
skillfully tied than those available from Umpqua Feather Merchants.
Finally, Dennis created a system of royalty payments, to reward
professional tyers like Whitlock, Lefty Kreh, Randall Kaufman, Larry
Dahlberg, and Bob Popovics for uniquely good patterns.
The Result:
Today, Umpqua produces umpteen thousand dozen flies, from micro-scopic
midge imitations to the huge patterns favored by marlin and sailfish.
And the "Umpquality" – you’ll see for yourself.”
