Fly Tying: The Stimulator

Fly Tying:

The Stimulator

As the name suggests and the fly does with great effect, this is an attractor pattern, that over the years has been wrongly attributed to Randall Kaufmann. The true originator of this internationally praised pattern is Jim Slattery, owner of Campfire Lodge Resort in West Yellowstone, Montana and Jim’s Fly Co, on the shore of the beautiful Madison river.

By BARRY ORD CLARKE

The Stimulator is aptly named and embedded with meaning – a fly that ‘causes and encourages a given response’.

Originally designed to imitate a giant stonefly, but will fish just as well as a hopper or large caddis fly. This well dressed pattern is for fishing rough fast flowing water, where it can be seen easily at distance and it floats like a cork. Stimulators are versatile, and although look difficult to tie, again, it’s all about proportions! By varying the size and colour, you can imitate most adult stoneflies. The stimulator can also be tied with rubber legs, like a Madam X, to give that extra attractor factor.

When fished, the stimulator will bring even the most lethargic fish up to the top, when most other patterns will fail! Use the same presentation as a caddis fly, stripping it across the surface, especially in windswept broken surface.

Material List//

Hook: Mustad curved nymph # 6 -12

Thread: Dyneema

Tail: Elk hair

Body: Golden yellow Antron floss

Body Hackle: Golden Badger or Furnace

Wing: Elk hair and crystal

hair fibers Dubbing

Thorax: Golden Stone dubbing

Hackle: Grizzle

Secure your curved nymph/ terrestrial hook in the vice.

Run the tying thread along the hook shank until it hangs level with the barb of the hook.

Cut and clean a small small bunch of elk hair in for the tail, this doesn’t flare as much as winter deer hair. Tie in directly above the hook barb.

Tie the elk hair down along the hook shank as shown. This will give you a good foundation and volume for your floss body.

Tie in the hackle at the base of the tail. The best is to use a good saddle hackle so you have the volume required.

About one third of the way along the hook shank tie in a length of golden yellow Antron floss.

Run the floss back towards the tail base and forward again building up a tapered body as you go. Tie off the floss.

Wind the hackle, palmered style, about seven or eight even turns. When you reach the thorax, tie off and remove the excess hackle.

Before you tie in the elk hair wing, tie in two or three strands of golden yellow crystal hair.

Cut another bunch of elk hair, this time a little larger for the wing. Before you stack it be sure to remove ALL the under fur and shorter hairs. You may have to stack it a few times to achieve this.

If you stack the elk hair for the wing in a small diameter stacker the hair will ‘fall’ into its natural curve.

Now tie in the elk hair, first with a couple of loose turns of tying thread and then tighter as you wind forward towards the hook eye. Trim off the excess deer hair and cover the butt ends with tying thread.

Prepare and tie in a grizzle cock hackle at the base of the wing. This hackle should be long enough for six or seven turns.

Dub the thorax with golden stone dubbing in a cone shape as shown. Make sure that you make a few turns of dubbing around the base of the wing, this will lower it and give the correct profile.

Wind on your grizzle hackle in nice even turns. Tie off and whip finish.

Your completed stimulator!