dry
Stimulator
Randall Kaufmann's Stimulator is a large, buoyant attractor dry fly that suggests adult stoneflies, caddis, and grasshoppers simultaneously. Its palmered hackle and elk hair wing provide incredible floatation, making it the ideal indicator fly in a dry-dropper rig. When big bugs are on the water, the Stimulator is the first fly out of the box.
Variants
1 spec · tap any cell to edit · multi-select for bulk actions · drop a photo onto a row to upload
History
Randall Kaufmann developed the Stimulator in the Pacific Northwest, drawing on the Sofa Pillow and similar stonefly patterns. It quickly became the standard adult stonefly imitation west of the Mississippi. Its success lies in its buoyancy and ability to suggest multiple food forms at once.
Tying overview
Tie in an elk hair tail and wing, dub a two-tone body with palmered hackle, and add a robust thorax with additional hackle wraps.
Fishing tips
Fish the Stimulator as a dry-dropper indicator fly, suspending a nymph 18-24 inches below. It excels in pocket water and riffles during stonefly season. Dead drift it through heavy water, or skitter it to imitate an ovipositing stonefly.