Clark’s Little Yellow Stonefly
![Little Yellow Stone](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/lys9.jpg)
Clark’s Little Yellow Stone
Tying Instructions
Materials
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Hook | Tiemco 5212 #12-16 |
Thread | Danville Yellow 6/0 |
Body | Flat Gold Tinsel |
Underwing | Fl. Yellow Antron Yarn |
Wing | Deer Hair |
Hackle | Ginger Saddle hackle |
![Little Yellow Stonefly (Isoperla)](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/isoperla.jpg)
![Lee Clark](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/lee_clark.jpg)
Lee Clark
Clark’s Little Yellow Stonefly
Lee Clark developed a series of stonefly imitations while fishing the Metolius and Deschutes River of Oregon in the early 1980’s. The popularity of this pattern is due to the ease of tying as well as the durability and floatation characteristics. The Clark’s Little Yellow Stonefly can be used to imitate Yellow Sallies, and other small yellow stoneflies. It can also imitate grasshoppers and caddis.
Other variations include the larger Clark’s Stonefly for Golden Stones and Salmonflies, the Little Brown Stonefly for Caddis and small brown stones, and the Little Green Stone for the small bright green stoneflies.
An effective use of the fly is to skitter the fly along the top of the water. Cast downstream and across the current, particularly under overhanging branches or cover. Give up slack to the line to float the fly freely for a few feet, then strip the line about 1-5 feet and repeat the slack technique. Continue this technique until the fly is out of the desired fish zone and recast. At times, I fish with a guide out of Shady Cove, Oregon, “Pete” Peterson. Pete was a personal friend of Lee Clark and still fishes this pattern on the Rogue River. We caught a number of Cutthroats and Steelhead using this pattern as a Golden Stonefly. In the Sierra, this fly is effective June through August. Give it a try, the older patterns still have a lot of zing.
Variations
![Clark's Little Golden Stonefly](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/lysvar4.jpg)
Clark’s Little Golden Stonefly
Hook | TMC 5212 #8-10 |
Thread | Danville Orange 6/0 |
Body | Flat Gold Tinsel |
Underwing | Rust and Gold Antron Yarn, combed and mixed |
Wing | Deer Hair |
Hackle | Brown Saddle Hackle |
![Clark's Little Brown Stonefly](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/lysvar2.jpg)
Clark’s Little Brown Stone
Hook | TMC 5212, #14-16 |
Thread | Danville Brown 6/0 |
Body | Flat Gold Tinsel |
Underwing | Rust Antron Yarn |
Wing | Deer Hair |
Hackle | Brown Saddle Hackle |
![Clark's Little Green Stonefly](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/lysvar3.jpg)
Clark’s Little Green Stone
Hook | TMC 5212, #16 |
Thread | Uni-thread Olive 8/0 |
Body | Flat Gold Tinsel |
Underwing | Fl. Lime Green Antron Yarn |
Wing | Deer Hair |
Hackle | Brown Saddle Hackle |