Kaufmanns Stimulator Salmonfly

Here is the fly pattern sheet for Kaufmanns Stimulator Salmonfly.

Here’s the real one:

Directions:

1. Crimp the hook barb, put the hook into your vise, start the thread behind the eye and lay down a thread base on the shank to just the bend of the hook. Tail should be a little longer than hook gap. Tie in elk tail with 2 loose wraps, then 6 – 8 wraps as you move towards eye. Spiral forward to ½ way point on the shank. Secure hair and cut off excess.
2. Tie in gold wire at tail.
3. Return thread to ½ way point. Begin dubbing a fairly thin body towards tail then back to ½ way point. The body will be thicker because of the elk underbody.
4. Select hackle 1 – 2 sizes smaller than normal. Tie in hackle. With shiny side facing forward, wind hackle 6 – 8 even turns towards tail. Tie off with gold wire by wrapping forward 6 – 8 evenly spaced turns. Trim wire.
5. Select, clean and stack a bundle of elk hair. The bunch should be twice as thick as tail. Wing should extend to about the middle of tail. Keep hair on top of hook and tie in with two soft wraps. Bind down tightly letting it flair slightly as you tie in. Wrap tightly over butts to secure wing, allowing the butts to flair as well. Trim butts and bind down remaining butts.
6. Select a grizzly hackle feather one size larger than abdomen hackle. Tie in dull side up at wing base.
7. Dub thorax. Begin one eye length back from eye and dub toward wing base and then forward.
8. Wind grizzly hackle through thorax, dull side forward 4 – 5 turns. Tie off and whip finish.

This is a style of fly that can be used for any stonefly, as well as many grasshoppers. Coordinate the thread and body color. See April – May 2012 Fly Fisherman magazine for additional assistance and variations.