THE STIMULATOR

The brainchild of Randall Kaufmann, the stimulator was originally designed to emulate the large stoneflies found in the western streams of the USA. The black version is often used during the famous "salmon fly" hatches as seen in the movie "A River Runs Through it". Murray and I have often used this fly in both Australia and New Zealand during the big sedge hatches. Try it as skittering sedge. It is also a great fly tied with a yellow or green body colour, during the grasshopper season or when the big Dobsonfly is about. .

Hook: Originally tied on a Tiemco 200, I prefer a straight dry fly hook such as the Tiemco 5212. Size #14 - 10
Thread: 6/0 colour to match the body.
Tail: Grey elk hair, Dear hair or Moose body hair.
Rib: Brown hackle overwound with fine gold wire.
Abdomen: any of the following: Bright green, olive, yellow, black or in the Royal Wulff colours of peacock herl and red floss.
Wing: Grey elk hair, Bleached elk hair or black elk hair.
Thorax: Amber, yellow or black goat or any coarse dry fly material mixed with antron.
Hackle: Grizzly palmered along the thorax.

1. Stack a bunch of elk hair and tie in as a short tail about half the length of the hook shank. The butts of the tail should end about two thirds the way along the hook shank. Tie in a length of gold wire at the tail.
2. Dub in the body, to about two thirds along the hook shank (Up to the butts of the tail.
3. Tie in a brown hackle by the butt and palmer it back to the tail. Tie off the tip of the hackle with the gold wire and then wind the wire forward through the hackle and tie off. Trim off the tip of the hackle and the remaining wire.
4. Stack a bunch of elk hair for the wing and tie this in just in front of the body. The wing should extend just to the edge of the bend of the hook.
5. Tie in a grizzly hackle and then dub in the thorax, leaving enough space behind the eye of the hook to form the head.
6. Palmer the hackle four turns, tie off and form the head.
7. Varnish the head and go fishing.

Try tying the stimulator up side down and fish it as a skittering caddis!

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