
Emma's Stone
Designed by RIO fly designer Patrick Kilby and named after his daughter, Emma's Stone is a versatile foam-bodied stonefly dry that imitates Salmonflies, Golden Stones, Skwalas, and Yellow Sallies depending on size and color. Features a two-tone foam body, fluttering wings with flash, and flat rubber legs for realistic movement.
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Materials
Dry fly hook (TMC 100 or equivalent), size 6-16 depending on target species
Brown or black 6/0 or 8/0
Two-tone closed-cell foam strips (brown/orange for Salmonfly, tan/yellow for Golden Stone, olive for Skwala, yellow for Yellow Sally)
Elk hair or deer hair with optional flash strands for fluttering effect
Barred flat rubber legs, splayed on both sides
Brown or ginger dry fly hackle for additional support
Krystal Flash or similar, 2-3 strands mixed in wing
How to Tie the Emma's Stone
- 1
Step 1
Secure the hook and start thread at the rear of the shank.
- 2
Step 2
Cut a strip of two-tone foam and fold it over the hook shank at the rear. Tie down with tight thread wraps to form the first body segment.
- 3
Step 3
Tie in a pair of flat rubber legs on each side at the first segment, splayed outward.
- 4
Step 4
Advance the foam forward and tie down at the next segment point, creating 3-4 distinct body segments with the foam folded over each time.
- 5
Step 5
At each segment, add another pair of rubber legs if desired.
- 6
Step 6
At the thorax area, stack and tie in elk or deer hair for the wing with optional flash strands mixed in.
The two-tone foam body is the defining feature—make sure the darker color faces up and lighter color faces down for a natural silhouette.
- 7
Step 7
Optionally tie in and wrap a dry fly hackle through the thorax for added floatation.
- 8
Step 8
Fold the final foam section over the eye area for the head. Tie down and trim excess. Whip finish behind the foam head.
- 9
Step 9
Trim rubber legs to desired length and apply a drop of cement to the thread wraps.
View Step-by-Step Tutorial
https://farbank.com/blogs/rio/rios-emmas-stone
Credit: Patrick Kilby (RIO Products)