Step by Step Photo Instructions on How to Tie “The Stimulator” Fly
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stimulatorintro
Hook: TMC 200R, MFC, 7002 #4-16
Thread: UTC 70 Deiner or MFC 8/0 Flour. Fire Orange
Tail: Nature’s Spirit Deer Hock
Rib: X-Small copper Wire
Body: Nature’s Spirit Fine Dubbing or Antron Dubbing, Orange
Hackle: Whiting Farms Neck Hackle, Brown and Grizzly
Wing: Elk Hair
Thorax: Nature’s Spirit Fine Dubbing or Antron Dubbing, Yellow
by Tim Romano
We’re going to start this week with–what should in time become regular updates for Tie Talk–a hand picked selection from my friend and flyrecipes.com founder Joe Mathis.
This week, Joe picked a fly that in my opinion, all trout fisherman should have in their box at all times: The Stimulator. This specific submission to flyrecipes.com was submitted by Juan Ramirez, a guide and tying instructor here in Colorado.
Juan’s keen insights and notes on the “Stimi” are below.
_”The Stimulator is one of my favorite flies to tie and to fish. Year after year, I find a “Stimi” tied to the end of my fly line, usually while I am on some pocket water or a small to medium sized stream. It works well in a hopper/dropper set up, usually holding up a BH Prince Nymph or BH Pheasant Tail.
Over the years, there has been many “additions” to this fly, but I generally prefer the “standard” or original style. I have plenty of these tied with legs and overwings stashed in my boxes, but I find the original style usually works just fine.
As for colors, the orange/yellow body and yellow/orange body is a great start, but don’t forget to try these in a peacock style or a golden tan color for both Caddis and Golden Stoneflies.
I think if I had only one choice to carry a dry fly for the rest of my fly fishing days, I would have trouble making a case for not picking this pattern. It covers the Caddis, Golden Stones, Salmonflies, Hoppers, Yellow Sallys and a few others here and there so well, the fish can’t resist it.
The following pattern is how I like to tie my Stimulators. A well tied pattern will last for many fish and makes for a more enjoyable day on the stream not having to change flies so many times. I don’t mind changing out flies after a fish has chewed it to shreds, I just prefer that I don’t have to do it after 3 fish.”
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