The Instars - Underrated Rock Stars Fly Patterns
While one hell of a musician, when Dave Grohl was the drummer and the backup singer for front man Kurt Cobain in Nirvana his potential was never fully realized. It was when Grohl stepped to the front of the stage, founded the Foofighters, sold more than 12 million albums in the US and won 11 Grammy’s that his musical genius and stardom was fully seen! While we all have our starting lineup of nymph patterns such as the Pheasant tail and black Pat’s Rubber Legs, it is the underrated and overlooked fly patterns matching the mayfly and stonefly nymphs’ Instars that can really take the river by storm!
Defining Instars
As mayfly and stonefly nymphs mature from egg to adult, they go through a number of stages of development called instars. Depending on the species of mayfly or stonefly, they might go through between 10 to 45 of these transitions or instars. The key physical transformation that marks the instar is the shedding of the nymph’s exoskeleton and the emergence of brightly colored nymph ready to take the stage and grab the attention of hungry trout!
Instars Put on a Show for Hungry Trout
Mayfly and stonefly nymphs that were a mottled and muted camouflage of blacks, browns, olives, and dark yellows before their instar now emerge into the water varying in huge from an almost albino peachy/white to a bright yellow! What were black salmonfly nymphs hiding in the shadows, and the brow/grey blue winged olive nymphs blending in with the algae on a rock will for a couple of days look like Axel Rose in the spotlight donning bright yellow spandex!
Photo credit Flickr
Having just passed through an instar these nymphs can’t help but stand out to the hungry eyes of feeding trout, and this creates an amazing opportunity for the fly fisher to mix up their fly patterns and turn an average day on the water into one for the record books!
Hot Fly Patterns for Matching Instars
Nymph patterns tied in yellow, white, gold, and cahill are going to be your best ones for matching the instars! Some of my personal favorites are:
The Pat’s Rubber Legs in Gold
Matching Large Stoneflies in hook sizes 8-14
The Beadhead Lightning Bolt in Yellow
Matching Small Stoneflies and Mayflies in hook sizes 12-18
& the Beadhead Psycho Prince in Metallic Yellow
Matching Small Stoneflies and Mayflies in hook sizes 12-20
So, the next time you are on the water and turn over a rock to be greeted by the bright yellow flash of a nymph freshly molted from an instar, tie on the brightest yellow bugs in your fly box and hold on tight because the show is about to get started!
Fly of the Month Pattern
Crystal Meth Sucker Spawn Fly
Colors: White, Pink, Chartreuse, Yellow, Orange
Sizes: 8-16
Born on the tributaries of the Great Lakes, this addictive little pattern is a eye catching interpretation of a sucker spawn. Great for salmon, trout, or steelhead, this pattern is particularly effective in the spring to early summer and has been the downfall of many a trophy fish!
Dry/Wet: Wet
Fly Category: Attractor Pattern, True-Fly Pattern
Family: Eggs & Worms
Species: NA
Life Stage: NA
