Randall Kaufmann, an American angler once famous for his wonderful fly-fishing shops under the Kaufmann’s Streamborn brand, had a real talent for devising superbly practical and deadly fly patterns for both fresh and saltwater fish. The big beefy Stimulator was probably his most effective and widely-used creation though it was never intended to be a single pattern. Rather it was a template on which to build a range of similarly-shaped flies that could suggest anything from an adult stonefly, to a sedge or even a large mayfly.
HOOK: Size 8-10 2x nymph down to size 10 wet fly
THREAD: Yellow 140 denier Tail: Dyed brown deer hair
RIB: Fine gold wire
BODY: Golden-olive seal’s fur
BODY HACKLE: Brown or golden-olive cock hackle
WING: Dyed brown deer hair
THORAX: Dark olive seal’s fur
HACKLE: Brown or furnace cock hackle
This summer, fly-fishing fanatics from across the country will descend on Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, for The Game Fair 2025
Join the UK River Summit on July 8 at London’s River Wandle for talks, art, fly-fishing and debate uniting policymakers, scientists, anglers and artists to promote clean rivers and better water use.