Mike Mercer is a truly exceptional modern fly tyer, notably for his
clever uses of natural and synthetic materials. His ingenious series of
"Poxyback" mayfly nymph patterns exemplifies this ability to mash up
materials to create a wildly effective fly.
Mercer's Gold Bead Biot Epoxy Dark Stonefly is the logical extension of
the Poxyback style from the mayfly to the stonefly, and serves as an
excellent imitation of the black stonefly (giant salmonfly) in its
mature nymph or emerger life stage. With its thin profile, biot-wrapped
body, wiggly feather gills, gold bead head, and "wet" epoxy shell, this
smartly dressed fly is sure to pick fight with the biggest steelhead
and trout in your favorite pool!
Specifications:
- This fly pattern was developed by creative fly tyer, Mike Mercer, as an extension of his wildly effective poxyback series of mayfly nymph patterns
- Black stonefly (giant salmonfly) imitation in the mature nymph or emerger 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 stonefly nymphs are available to trout all year long in trout water throughout North America
- 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
- Added weight of gold bead head will keep the fly low in the water column
- Slim profile with buggy feather gills gives a realistic appearance to this fly pattern
- SIZE 8
When and Where to Fish Mercer's Gold Bead Biot Epoxy Dark Stonefly
This medium sized stonefly nymph 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 nymphs
do not possess strong swimming 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.
How to Fish Mercer's Gold Bead Biot Epoxy Dark Stonefly
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 stonefly
nymphs. These nymphs will often be carried away by stronger currents.
The giant salmonfly is a poor swimmer and is unable to fight the power
of the main drift and will ride the wave until the energy decreases and
they are deposited back onto the safety of the river bottom. When these
nymphs are caught in the drift, they are quite vulnerable to feeding
trout and will quickly meet their match. A popular strategy is to fish
these patterns on a dead drift right through the main current –
drifting a black stonefly nymph 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 just prior to and
during a black stonefly emergence and hatch. Always be sure to cast far
enough upstream to allow your black stonefly nymph time to sink; this
species spends most of its 2 or 3 years as a nymph in the lower
portions of the water column. Black stones make themselves available
throughout the day all year long. Trout prey on them 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. 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) Emerger Life Stage
During its nymph life stage, the giant salmonfly is most commonly found
in the medium to fast water of riffles and higher energy current seams.
Prior to and during a hatch, these medium-to-large sized nymphs can
also be found in low energy backwaters, eddys, and other shallow
streamside environments. Black stonefly nymphs thrive among the cool,
well-oxygenated water of rocky riffles and these nymphs are most
vulnerable to trout when they are either swept up by strong currents or
when they leave their rocky homes to hatch into winged adults from the
safety of the shoreline. Their swimming ability is quite weak and these
nymphs expose themselves by making adventurous crawling trips away from
safety just before emergence and subsequent on-land hatching. These
easily distinguishable nymphs are available to trout throughout the
waters of North America on a year-round basis and commonly hatch from
morning to evening hours. Golden stoneflies are another important hatch
on many rivers in North America, and in the west, they are often
associated with the prolific hatches of the giant salmonfly.
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.”
