Simplified Rogue Hopper SBS

[ScottP]

hook - Dai Riki 135 #10
thread - UTC 140 cream
body - 2mm foam cream
wing - elk hair
legs - rubber medium cornsnake
indicator - 2mm foam


An easier, more durable alternative to the deer-hair bullethead Rogue style. Back end of the chassis remains the same and the front just incorporates the foam used to create the body.
Even in small sizes (pretty easy to go down to #14), the double layer of foam makes this one tough to sink, but it lays down low on the water. Using a scud hook here to get a bit more gap than the DR 280 hump shank provides in smaller sizes. Adjust colors to suit your needs.




Part 1


Insert needle in vise






fold a strip of foam (hook gap width), push it onto needle






start tying thread on needle





fold foam over needle, adjust to where you want the first segment





wrap thread around foam, pull slowly but firmly so you don't cut the foam and add a couple more wraps





split the uprights with the thread, take a couple wraps around the needle to place thread for second segment





create second segment

[ScottP]

Part 2

repeat then tie off; slide off the needle and SHHAN the wraps; taper butt










insert hook in vise; poke a hole in the foam and push onto eye of hook







start thread on hook and wrap back to spot just above hook point





cut a 2mm x 2mm binder strip of foam and tie it down; finish with thread at hook eye





push foam that's on underside up against hook eye for reference mark; poke hole with needle

[ScottP]

Part 3

brush Super Glue on binder strip







then pull foam up and force hook eye through hole; follow with 2 wraps of thread at eye to lock foam down










cross over with thread back to rear portion of head; 2 wraps to create bottom of head










pull foam on top of hook down and tie off; trim (not shown)






cut clean and stack a clump of elk hair, measure for length







tie down with 2 firm wraps; trim butts







pull foam back over head; tie down and trim excess

[ScottP]

Part 4

add legs and indicator










trim legs/indicator to length, whip, SHHAN and you're done









Regards,
Scott

[quivira kid]

Very nice SBS! Thanks Scott!

[ronnie_mckee]

Very good tutorial, thanks for posting it.

[whatfly]

Is this your pattern, Scott? Very clever idea for scaling down the extended body. Have you fished this? If so, does the short hook help with the hooking rate on this pattern? Thanks.

[ScottP]

Is this your pattern, Scott? Have you fished this? If so, does the short hook help with the hooking rate on this pattern? Thanks.

Not mine; I just made some changes to a basic Rogue, subbing a foam head instead of the deer bullethead (Walter's Bob Hopper design) to increase durability. Haven't had a chance to fish this version yet but with all the warm weather we've had here for the past few days, hoppers are starting to come out of the woodwork, so it'll get wet soon. I'm pretty sure the scud hook's increased gap (over the hump-shank Dai Riki 280 I used on the bulletheads) will be of benefit on the little hoppers I'm currently tying.

Regards,
Scott

[bowfin47]

Great tutorial!

[ZugbugPete]

Perfect SBS - and just the pattern I need for some panfish lake fishing in Maine at the end of this month (July). Thanks so much!
I know you tied on a size 10, but I'm thinking I may try it a size or two smaller (without pushing my luck with making a micro-hopper) for everything, proportionately.
Well done, you have my wheels turnin' thinking about this pattern!
-ZugbugPete