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Joe's Hopper

By Rick Floyd
Oshkosh, Wisconsin USA
Photo by the Jim Birkholm


Joe's Hopper

Summer and fall grasshoppers are present in nearly every region. This imitation will result in hard hitting strikes. Trout recognize a good meal when they see it! ~ Fly Tier


Materials List:


Tying Instructions:

    1. After starting thread tie on red deer or hackle for the tail (1/2 shank length).

    2.Form a loop in the body material and tie in, have tag cover half the shank to form a smooth base.

    3. Tie in brown hackle for rib.

    4.Wrap body forward covering half the shank.

    5. Wrap hackle forward thickly over body material.

    6. Trim the hackle tight on the sides of the fly.

    7. Tie in one of the lacquered turkey quill segments on far side of the hook.

    8. Tie in the other turkey quill segment on the near side of the hook.

    9. Tie in one brown and one grizzly hackle. Use thread to smooth the base for wrapping hackles.

    10. Wrap hackles forward one at a time leaving room for a head. Tie them off and trim butts.

    11. Whip finish and lacquer thread.

    12. Trim turkey at an angle from body extension out at about 45 degrees.


Tying Tip!

To form the body extension twist about 1 inch of the yarn lightly then allow some slackin the yarn. The yarn should spin around itself forming a twisted loop. The hackles can be trimmed flush at the bottom to give a lower profile that seems to work better on fussy fish. Change the body and wing colors to match the hoppers on your favorite streams. I usually use dry fly hackles that are 2 sizes smaller than the hook I am tying on (for a size 12 hook I use size 24 hackles) for the rib and front hackle. ~ Rick Floyd


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