An easy hopper pattern that will help you to learn and practice techniques for tying hoppers.

Tying instructions can be found in the May issue of the HFF Flycast.

Materials

• Thread – Wooly nylon (Nylon stretch over locking thread)
• Hook – Any Hopper hook (This one is a size 10)
• Body – 2 mm craft foam cut into hopper like shape.
• Under-wing – Crystal flash, 3 strands
• Over-wing – Bleached elk hair or deer hair
• Legs – Round rubber legs
• Indicator – Bright red or orange foam

Tying Instructions

1. Cover hook with Sally Hansen or super glue and then the thread ending near the bend (coating thread with Sally Hanson or super glue keeps foam from rolling).
2. Extend foam over the bend in the hook.
3. Tie in end section with three turns of thread over the foam.
4. Then two turns under the foam to move the thread forward.
5. Next section three turns over the foam,
6. Two turns under the thread should get you right behind the eye of the hook.
7. Tie in last section, half hitch around the eye.
8. Tie in the stands of Crystal flash, neatness doesn’t count, spread them out.

9. Cut, clean and stack your hair.
10. Measure the hair length from your tie of point (eye) so it extends just past the end of the body. A little dab of Sally or super glue at the tie in point wouldn’t be wasted.
11. Cut the hair at a 45 degree angle and tie it in, grabbing the crystal flash in as well. Hold hair tightly until it is well locked in.

12. Move the thread over the wing back one section.
13. Fold the foam back over the wing and tie it in.
14. Trim it so it is just behind the tie-in point.
15. Fold a rubber leg around the thread and then tie it on the side of the head. Do the same to the other side.
16. Cut a small piece of foam, as an indicator and tie it in over the top of the fly.
17. Either whip finish over the indicator or use your half hitch tool and give it one or two half hitches around the eye.
18. Turn the whole mess over and lightly coat the bottom with Sally or Super Glue.

• Trim the flash just past the wing.
• Trim the back legs even with end of the foam, legs in front about the same.
• The indicator should be just big enough to see.

How Do I Fish Them?

Using my excellent casting skills, I usually slap it down on the water like a beginner. In fast water let it drift. In stillwater let it set there, count to five and twitch it. Let it set, then slow figure eight retrieve, with a little twitch to get the legs moving.

My best result (fast water) was seven small fish in one section of the Thredbo River, past the large pond near Bullocks Hut, in the middle of a rain storm.

– Paul Fedeles