Parachute Hopper - Stimulator Style

By Randall Kaufmann, Seattle, 1980s, submitted by Mike Cline.

Description

The Stimulator pattern is a derivative of earlier stonefly patterns—the Improved Sofa Pillow (1940s) and Yellow-bellied Mattress Trasher (1970s). Many anglers believe the name Stimulator was given to the pattern by Jim Slattery, a Montana angler who renamed his Fluttering Stonefly pattern. Others contend the pattern was derived from the Trude style dry flies developed in 1903. However, the pattern was clearly popularized and promoted by Randall Kaufmann, a fly shop owner, angler and author in Seattle, WA and Portland, OR in the 1980s. The addition of hopper style legs makes the Stimulator style an effective hopper pattern.

Materials

• Body: Fly-rite dry fly dubbing
• Hackle: Cape or Saddle dry fly hackle
• Legs: Knotted pheasant tail or Goose primary fibers or vinyl legs
• Parachute Post: Frizz fiber Parachute Post
• Tail: Deer or Moose Hair
• Thorax: Fly-rite dry fly dubbing
• Thread: UTC 70

Hooks

• 2X long dry fly hook

Target species: Trout

Fly types: Dry Fly