Northfork Stone

The Northfork Stone – Nymph is a big, buggy stonefly imitation built for the freestone action of the North Fork of the Shoshone River—the tailwater-fed pocket water that pours out of Yellowstone's eastern boundary, winds through the Wapiti Valley and Shoshone National Forest, and runs toward Cody in northwest Wyoming. Its segmented body, lifelike silhouette, and rough, natural profile imitate the large stonefly nymphs—salmonflies and golden stones—that tumble through the rocks and define the river's early-season fishing.

When those big stones come off along the North Fork in early summer, trout drop down and feed hard on the naturals dislodged and drifting through the current. The Northfork Stone's heavy, buggy build makes it a dependable searching nymph in pocket water, riffles, and freestone runs, riding deep where the fish are holding. Drift it through the seams and along the bottom for the North Fork's cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout—or fish it anywhere big stonefly nymphs are on the menu.

Best for:

• Cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout on nymph presentations
• Dead-drifting deep through pocket water, riffles, and freestone runs
• Searching and prospecting during early-summer salmonfly and golden stone activity

📌 Pro Tip: Fish it as the point fly in a two-nymph rig with a smaller mayfly or attractor dropper. The Northfork Stone's weight gets both flies down fast into the seams and pockets where trout stack up during the stonefly drift.