Stimulator - Yellow

Stimulator – Yellow

The Yellow Stimulator is the go-to pattern when golden stoneflies are on the water — one of the most exciting and productive hatches in western trout fishing. Originally designed by Randall Kaufmann, the Stimulator was built to ride high in fast, turbulent water and imitate the large stoneflies that bring big trout to the surface. The yellow body closely matches the color of golden stoneflies and yellow sallies, making it a precise imitation during these hatches while remaining an outstanding attractor pattern throughout the season. Its heavily palmered hackle and elk hair wing keep it floating through the roughest pocket water without hesitation.

Pattern Details

• Style: Stonefly attractor dry fly
• Body: Yellow — closely matches golden stoneflies and yellow sallies; highly effective as both an imitation and an attractor
• Wing: Elk hair — buoyant and highly visible in fast, broken water
• Hackle: Heavily palmered — maximum flotation in rough pocket water and fast runs
• Best water: Fast-water freestone rivers, pocket water, and mountain streams — wherever golden stoneflies and yellow sallies are present
• Target species: Trout and cutthroat
• Techniques: Dead-drifted through fast water and pocket water during golden stonefly hatches; also effective as an indicator fly with a dropper nymph during hopper-dropper fishing
• Sizes available: 10, 12, 14

When golden stones are flying and big trout are looking up, the Yellow Stimulator is the first fly to reach for — a high-floating western staple that produces during hatches and as a searching pattern all season long.