Paul Fedeles’ Orange Bass Flopper
This is a combination hopper, Chernobyl ant and cicada in black and orange foam. I tied it in the morning for the first time. Toss it, flop it down, let is set and water movement is enough.
Materials
- Thread – Orange 6/0 thread for the body and red nylon stretch overlocking thread for the head. The extra strength is needed to tie down the head.
- Hook – Size 6 or 8 hook 3x
- Body – Two foam pieces glued and stamped from Chernobyl ant stamps (black and orange)
- Legs – Orange rubber legs
- Wing – Silver and blue hi-vis mixture
Preparation
Glue two pieces of foam together with foam glue and let set over night. Make sure the top black piece of foam is closed cell and you can use craft foam for the bottom.
I use the 4cm x 1cm Chernobyl body ant stamp for the bodies making sure you make the front of the foam about 2cm past the end of the stamp.
Tying Instructions
- Cover the hook with orange thread, small coating of super glue or Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails.
- Tie in the foam on top of the hook, orange side down with the round portion of the foam just barely past the bend of the hook. Four turns of thread to hold the foam.
- Lift the foam up and wind the thread forward to the area of the next segment.
- Tie in four segments with the last segment about a hook-eye from the eye. Two or three half hitches around the hook will hold your thread.
- Turn the fly over and coat the whole bottom with Sally Hansen’s. Set the fly to dry and make some more.
- Re-attach thread at the second rear segment and tie in two orange legs, whip finish at the segment.
- Trim the front foam into a narrow trapezoid shape. Attach the red nylon over locking thread at the last segment and tie in the Hi-vis mixture.
- Fold over the front foam and tie it down. Two half hitches on the eye of the hook to anchor this step. Trim the foam as shown.
- Wrap the thread around the segment and tie in two more orange rubber legs.Finish off with two or three half hitches around the eye again. Turn the fly over and coat the bottom with Sally Hansen again.
