March 14, 2012
By Fly Fisherman
The Kaufmann's Stone is a highly regarded and effective fly pattern designed by Randall Kaufmann around 1973. This pattern imitates the nymphs of larger stoneflies, such as the Golden Stonefly and the Salmonfly. The fly is characterized by its lifelike construction, featuring a textured dubbing body, multiple wing cases, and a segmented abdomen created with materials like vinyl rib. Later variations frequently incorporated rubber legs to enhance movement in the water. Typically tied to be heavier, often with the addition of a beadhead, the Kaufmann's Stone is intended to be fished deep, near the river bottom, using a dead drift technique. Its effectiveness in attracting trout makes it a popular and essential pattern for many fly anglers, particularly in the western United States, where stoneflies are a significant food source for these fish.
How to fly tie the Kaufmanns Stone
Kaufmanns Stone Recipe:
Hook: TMC 300 #2-10
Thread: 3/0 brown Monocord
Weight: Lead or Lead Free Wire
Tail: Brown Goose Biots
Rib: Black D-Rib
Abdomen: Brown Seal Fur Substitute (angora goat)
Wingcase: Vinyl cement coated turkey tail slips, cut to shape
Thorax: Same as abdomen
Antennae: Brown Goose Biots
Step 1 Tie a piece of lead wire down each side of the hook shank.
Step 2 Wrap about twenty turns of smaller lead over the hook shank on the front of the shank. Wrap the thread back and forth over the lead underbody to secure everything in place.
Step 3 Bring the thread to the bend and dub a small ball of fur.
Step 4 Tie in an opposed pair of goose biots at the bend of the hook on either side of the dubbing ball. Wrap forward over the butt ends to secure them and clip the excess.
Step 5 Tie in a piece of D-Rib with the flat side up and wrap back over it to the bend.
Step 6 Dub a robust tapered abdomen up to the seventy percent point.
Step 7 Cut three coated slips from a turkey tail feather. These slips should be about as wide as the hook gap.
Step 8 Notch the end of each slip as shown here. I notch the butt ends of the slips as they seem a bit more durable this way.
Step 9 Tie the first slip in on the front edge of the abdomen so it overlaps back to nearly the midpoint on the shank.
Step 10 Dub a portion of the thorax about halfway forward over the front end of the hook.
Step 11 Overlap the thread onto the front edge of the thorax dubbing and tie in the second wingcase slip as you did the first. This slip should overlap the first one by about half.
Step 12 Apply more dubbing and wrap it from the base of the second wingcase up to just short of the hook eye.
Step 13 Tie in the last wingcase at the front edge of the dubbing. Clip the excess flush.
Step 14 Tie in a short goose biot on either side of the hook eye. Clip the butt ends. Dub a small collar at the front of the fly, whip finish and clip the thread.
Step 15 Pick out the dubbing along the thorax to simulate legs.
