Kaufmann Stimulator

[fish]

Kaufmann Stimulator

Randall Kaufmann, Oregan based fly tier and fly shop owner originated this effective and versatile dry fly. If my memory serves me right the Stimulator was developed to imitate the large (read “huge�) stoneflies like the Salmon fly found in North America.

Back in South Africa the Stimulator has proven itself as a general searching pattern and also a good all round imitation of caddis flies and juicy terrestrials. Due to the excellent buoyancy and visibility of this fly it works great as an indicator with a nymph fished below.

I fish the Stimulator often on both rivers and stillwaters. It works great dead drifted and can be even more deadly when the occasional twitch is imparted.

Tie a few and experience the results.

Cheers,

Philip

Recipe

Hook #6 - #14 terrestrial hook, like the Grip 14682 or the Tiemco 200R. I often tie this fly on straight shank dry fly hooks, since the short point and the long shank of the terrestrial hooks can lead to more fish lost.

Thread Hot Orange 8/0 for sizes 10 and smaller and 6/0 for sizes 6 – 8.

Tail Bleached Elk. Use deer hair as a substitute. The Elk hair is coarser and larger in diameter.

Abdomen Dry fly dubbing (antron), or fine hare’s ear. Yellow, orange, cream and olive are popular colours. I prefer a lighter abdomen and a darker thorax.

Rib Fine copper wire or gold tinsel.

Body hackle Ginger hackle

Wing Elk hair or deer hair.

Thorax Olive dry fly dubbing. Orange and yellow dubbing and also peacock herl can be used.

Thorax hackleGrizzly hackle.

Step 1

Cover the hook shank with thread up to a point above the barb. Remove the under fur from a bunch of hair with your fingers or a fine comb.

Step 2

Stack the hair in a hair stacker to even up the tips. Tie in the tail, the length should be approximately the hook gape width. Tie the hair down two thirds along the hook shank.

Step 3

Tie in a length of copper wire by the tip. Apply dubbing to the thread and dub the abdomen. The dubbing has to be compact (thinly applied) to counter the absorption of water.

Step 4

Select a hackle with barb length the same as the hook gape or slightly shorter. Remove the fluff from the base of the hackle stem by peeling it off.

Step 5

Tie in the hackle with the shiny side up.

Step 6

Palmer the hackle towards the tail and secure the hackle point with the copper wire, Zig zag the copper wire in open turns through the hackle and tie it off.

Step 7

Select and prepare a second bunch of hair. Measure the wing so it extends up to the tip of the tail.

Step 8

Tie in the wing with a pinch loop. Trim the butt ends at a tapered angle towards the rear of the fly. Select a grizzly hackle with barbs one and a half times the hook gape width and tie it in shiny side up.

[MaXiMuM]

Beautifully tied...

[fish]

Step 9

Dub the thorax.

Step 10

Palmer the grizzly hackle, tie off and apply head cement.

A rubber legged version of the Stimulator with a peacock thorax. The addition of legs as a trigger and profile enhancer can do wonders for this patterns.

[JanK]

Nice looking fly there - gonna try me a few...

[FlyFanatic]

Very nicely tied!! Me likes!! This okes gonna nail the smallies!!

Thanx!!

[nkula_nkula]

A rubber legged version of the Stimulator with a peacock thorax. The addition of legs as a trigger and profile enhancer can do wonders for this patterns.

Nice SBS, the legs will make a good hopper immitation. Much like an MSA....

[smallstreams.co.za]

Very nice SBS. I've used a variation using CDC to great effect over the last couple of trips.

http://smallstreams.co.za/forum/inde...pic,144.0.html

[markdej]

Very nice SBS. I've used a variation using CDC to great effect over the last couple of trips.

http://smallstreams.co.za/forum/inde...pic,144.0.html

I agree with that, a very neat tie and great SBS! The CDC variant is the business though.
Tie some up, I guarantee you will be impressed.

[fish]

CDC can only enhance this great pattern even more, more so when used with tarantula legs.

Thanks for the comments.

Cheers,

Philip