Skwala Stonefly Tips ~ Tying, Techniques, and Presentations

Fishing the Skwala stonefly hatch on the Lower Yuba River is a highlight in my life, and I look forward to it every winter. Over rated? Yes. Mysterious? To some degree. Red hot fishing? It can be. There are so many factors involved with fishing and understanding this hatch that I thought it was prudent for another post to explain what I have learned in the past couple of decades. When it comes to tying a Skwala pattern, or buying one at a fly shop, there are some considerations to take into account. The fly should sit flush in the water just like the natural, be of the right size and color, and also be durable. The Unit Skwala pictured above is really hard to find commercially. I do not sell them publicly, though I do tie a few hundred of them every winter for my guide trips, clinics, and workshops. Over the years I have refined this pattern to my specs based on its performance, and the reaction from the trout. Differences like only using a half bullet head because the natural bug has color underneath its head, not dark hair. Or using a sighter on top of the wing like EP's Trigger Point Fibers in white that scatters light naturally and is non offensive to selective trout, unlike big brightly colored posts often do. Other good commercial ties include the Double Dutch Bug by Nor Cal's own Morgan Thalkin, and the Rubber Legged Stimulator - in the right color of course. 

I have a tutorial on my YouTube channel about tying the Unit Skwala, here is an active link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b3OqCrg_Nc&t=205s

This is the hook I use for when tying the Unit, the TMC 2302. I also use the TMC 2312 which features a straight eye on the hook. Remember, size 12 for the male, and a size 10 for the female. The Lower Yuba River has seen increased pressure lately as it usually does this time of year, and using the smaller male size can make the difference between success and failure. Just last week I had a trout eating Skwalas in a foot of water next to a run of swift riffles. The fish refused my #10, so I waited and let it eat a few naturals, then presented the little male. On the first drift it was taken. Same pattern, same drift, same everything...except a smaller offering. 

  
All tying foam is not created equal. EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam is made from blended copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate. In one sheet of EVA foam, the weight percentage of vinyl acetate usually ranges from 10 to 40%. Polyethylene material is another important element for EVA foaming production. The variation amount of foaming additives and catalysts in the molding process of EVA foam can affect its density, hardness, color, resilience and so on. EVA foam materials are of closed cell foam structure with excellent performances including good water & moisture resistance. This is the type of structure that keeps your fly floating high, and for a longer period of time. Your typical foam sheets that major fly tying distributors sell is the same formula of foam you can buy at a craft store. Larva Lace foam is much different in that is has more and larger closed cells of air, is lighter, and stretches further without breaking as easily. Since foam is the main factor in the performance of the Unit Skwala, I will only use the Larva Lace brand for my custom ties. 

Rubber legs are a key component to your Skwala pattern and will induce a trigger mechanism to the trout based on the movement of the rubber flexing from the micro currents of the water's surface. Incorporating a closed loop knot will allow the fly to move more freely while allowing the rubber legs to be more active. I use medium brown and dark golden stone colors, one look at the natural pictured below and you see the actual color. Other tips I might include is to check your pattern often to make sure the rubber legs have not been trapped by the bend of the hook, which will appear as unnatural to a trout looking up and be refused. While taking the time to inspect your fly between presentations, also look at your leader for wind knots, and test the strength of every knot within the system from the fly line to the leader, leader to tippet, and the tippet to the fly. Confidence in your terminal tackle will lead to confidence in your presentation. Many of my guests are beginners and their casting is sub par from not practicing, or fishing enough. I check the leader they are using quite often because they will drop their back cast and the leader and fly will hit the rocks behind them, and in the process will weaken the tippet, or lose their fly. If you see whitish colored marks on the tippet, change it out to some fresh material. If not, you will break off the next good sized athlete that inhales your fly.  

You'll want to have a quiver of Skwala patterns because inevitably your fly will become water logged and "tired". I treat my quiver of flies, and the one that I'm currently using, like coaching a hockey team. When the current fly I'm using is tired, I put it on the bench (my fly patch), and put in a fresh player. By resting and drying your flies, you can rotate your players and always have a fresh player in the game for a greater advantage. It's the little things like this that count...

Acute vision is everything in your approach. Seeing Skwalas in the drift is extremely hard for those that are not on the water all the time. They don't move while drifting (except for those little legs kicking back and forth), and often are mistaken for small twigs floating on the surface. Golden stones will often hover above the water dipping the end of its abdomen in the water while ovipositing. The female Skwala will lay eggs as she is drifting, or actually drop them during flight like a B-52 Bomber over the water - Even more amazing is that I've seen trout take the egg sack as it splashed down upon the water! Another aspect of vision awareness is seeing the rise forms of Skwala eaters in your peripheral view. A rise form of a Skwala eater is very aggressive, and what we call "Blow Ups". To make things a little more confusing, the same explosive rise forms happen when trout key in on salmon fry near the surface during this time of year. Milt's floating pond smelt could be beneficial in such a situation.

There is a definite misconception during the Skwala hatch that an angler just walks up to the river and chucks the big dry out there with immediate results. Nothing could be further from the truth. A big part of playing the Skwala game is using stealth and making accurate presentations to productive water. Often, a Skwala eater will be in very skinny water next to the bank. Keeping a lower profile, and not beating the water continuously can help greatly. Plan your attack, look ahead, and be aware of hazards behind you, or out in the water like a snag. You're not just fishing, you're hunting a wild animal that is so on edge and scared, that every precaution must be taken to be successful. This is not the time to be stumbling down the bank and flailing around.  

Just some random thoughts to share on a rainy Sunday afternoon. After this system, a prolonged warming spell and drier conditions will take place. Perfect conditions for fishing the Skwala stonefly, are you ready?