TYING GOLDEN STONE STIMULATOR
The Stimulator Dry Fly pattern is inspired by the two stonefly imitations, Improved Sofa Pillow and Yellow-bellied Mattress Trasher. It is believed that Jim Slattery came up with the fly pattern. During the 1980s, Randall Kaufmann popularized the fly. Now we are going to tie the Golden Stone Stimulator.
Materials for Golden Stone Stimulator
| Part: | Materials: | Size/Color: |
| Hook: | Daiichi | 1730 #12 |
| Thread: | Veevus | Black 14/0 |
| Tail: | Deer Hair | Natural |
| Body Hackle: | Dry Fly Hackle | Grizzly |
| Body: | Antron Dub | Golden Stone |
| Wing: | Deer Hair | Natural |
| Front Hackle: | Dry Fly Hackle | Brown |
| Head: | Rabbit Fur Dubbing | Brown |
Video Instructions on How to Tie a Golden Stone Stimulator
Video coming soon.Slideshow on How To Tie a Golden Stone Stimulator
Step 1 – Tie In the Tail
Tie in your tying thread close to the curve of the hook. Make even tread wraps until your tying thread is aligned with the hook’s barb. Take a small portion of deer hair and remove the fluff before using a hair stacker to align the tips. The length should be the same as the length from the hook’s curve to the bend. Tie it in and make a few loose wraps to tie down the deer hairs. Remove any excess and take your tying thread back to the point where you tied in the tail.
Step 2 – Make the Body
Tie in the grizzly dry fly hackle feather with the shiny side facing you. Make a dubbing noodle and build up the body. Make even wraps with the dry fly hackle and tie it off close to the curve of the hook.
Step 3 – Tie In the Wing
Take a larger portion of deer hair, remove the fluff, and use the hair stacker to align the tips. Use a pinching loop to tie the deer hair on the top of the hook shank. The deer hair fibers should reach the end of the tail. Remove any excess deer hair.
Step 4 – Make the Head
Tie in one brown dry fly hackle feather with the dull side facing you. Make a dubbing noodle and build up a tapered head of the dry fly. Remember to leave some space for the head. Make even wraps with the brown dry fly hackle feather and tie it off at the head. Remove any excess and secure your tying thread with a whip finish or a few half hitches. Complete the fly with a drop of varnish.
How to Fish the Golden Stone Stimulator
Jim Slattery invented the Stimulator pattern to imitate stoneflies, but you can also use it to imitate caddis, large mayflies, or terrestrials like hoppers. When fishing, you can use the dry fly to target sighted fish or as an attractor. Fish it dead drift upstream and try to give it tiny twitches.
