Tying Instructions

Start your thread and wrap the hook shank, then whip finish and cut off. Now start the foam work by cutting a 1/4" wide strip of foam with a razorblade, make it 3 times as long as the hook. Fold it in half and punch through the middle of crease with the point of the razorblade. Now place the eye of the hook through the hole you made and size the back of the hook hole. You will need to fold the foam up in the bend of the hook and make the holes further apart than you'd think. Punch a second hole for the point to go through and slip the point through it. You will now have half your foam sticking straight out the front of the hook and half threaded onto the hook at two points. Use ZapaGap to lock down the foam and carefully fold the flap back over the hook shank. You'll now have it all glued in place. Start your thread right at the bend of the hook by holding the tip and tightly wrapping to segment the foam. Spread these out so you can have 4 equal segments. Wrap the thread and whip finish and cut. Now do it again 1/4 up the shank. The third time you will tie in two long rubber legs on each side of the foam. The final time you will start like before, then cut and tie in the turkeytail wingcase. It helps to nail polish the feather to get it to hold together. Now lay an elk hair caddis wing on top, flaring it but keeping it from spinning, then tie each leg in on the sides. Trim the elk hair, whip finish. Now go back and cut the tail to a small wedge shape. My model here had a shaped tail somehow, like they'd permanently mashed the foam down and cut it in a rounded tip. If you know how to do that great, I couldn't figure it out. Now add eyes with a marker and you're done.

How to Fish

 

I called this the Wal-Mart hopper because it is cheap and most of the pieces are available at Wal-Mart. I don't do a lot of terrestrial fishing to be honest, and I've always used Dave's Hopper before. I didn't want to run the risk of tying something someone else could do a lot better, so I found and used this pattern. I've only fished it once, but with all hoppers you just want to *plop* them down near structure and banks. Hopper fishing is great fun because you can relate to the little fly. You imagine, 'How would a hopper end up here now, and what would he be feeling?' Along about the time you begin to really emphasize with the little critter he gets swallowed up from below like a lifeguard in "Jaws." I have been tempted to save my hopper from the trout. Do not do this. Stay focused. Remember that you are the predator. *G* Hope y'all have fun with my new hopper.