Royal Stimulator Fly Pattern - Fly of the Month

J.Stockard Pro Tyers: John and Katie Demuth of Kingsport TN, Find Demuth Fly Fishing @: www.instagram.com/demuth_flyfishing/

A Christmas fly doesn't get much better than a Royal Stimulator. So for the J.Stockard Fly of the Month for December of this year, we bring you a Royal Stimulator beautifully tied and photographed by John and Katie Demuth. Merry Christmas!

Hook- Ahrex Freshwater 531, size 12 or TIemco 2312
Thread- Semperfli Nano Silk 12 OT, black and white
Tail/Wing- Calf tail, fluorescent white
Body- Nature's Spirit Strung Peacock Herl, natural, Semperfli floss or Rayon Floss, red, Semperfli .1 mm tying wire or Wapsi Ultra Wire, bright silver, Whiting Farms Hackle, Golden Badger
Head- Coated in Deer Creek Diamond Fine Resin

Step 1: Attach your tying thread at the 1/3^rd point of the hook shank from the eye. 

Step 2:  Wrap the thread back to the rear of the hook just past where the barb would be.  Attach the calf tail and open spiral wrap your thread until you reach the point that you started your thread.  Make three tight wraps to lock in your work. 

Step 3: Trim the butt ends at a 45 degree angle. Wrap your thread through the newly cut calf tail and with touching wraps, wrap back to the base of the tail.  Attach the peacock herl and wire and wrap forward until your thread is between the barb and the point of the hook. 

Step 4:  With touching wraps, wrap the peacock until you reach your thread and tie off.  Wrap the thread to the halfway point of the hook and tie in the floss.  Wrap the floss back to the herl and back to the tie in point and tie off. 

Step 5: Tie in another peacock herl where you finished the floss.  Wrap the peacock herl in until you meet the beginning of the calf tail ramp and tie odd the peacock herl.  Size your hackle feather so it is as long as the hook cap or a little shorter.  It should not extend past the hook point.  Tie it in with the shiny side facing forward. 

Step 6:  With open spiral wraps, wrap back to the silver wire and capture the hackle with the wire.  Wrap the wire through the hackle until you get to where you tied in the hackle.  Tie off the wire and helicopter it off to remove the waste wire. 

Step 7: Pre measure and cut the calf tail so the wing extends between the peacock herl and the end of your tail and the butts do not cover the hook eye.  Start the tie in with two gathering wraps followed be increasing pressure to secure the calf tail to the shank. 

Step 8:  Size the front hackle so it is a touch longer than the rear hackle and tie it in with the shiny side facing forward.  Tie in the peacock herl at the same location as the hackle.  Both of these tie in points should be where the initial gathering wraps were on the calf tail.  Wrap the peacock forward to the hook eye and tie off. 

Step 9: Wrap your hackle through the peacock herl and tie off at the hook eye.  Trim or pull and errant hackle barbs, whip finish the thread and finish the fly with head cement of UV Resin. 

Step 10: (The most important step) Have fun admiring your work – you just completed a beautiful Christmas fly that not only looks great but will fish exceptionally well.  Please let us know if you have any questions.