The current FOW really caught my eye. Hoppers have been very productive for me in the small ponds that I fly fish in for Bream and Bass. Most take more time than I care to spend on them. So this is a welcome addition to my list.
Here is my version and then a modification to add the wings that all of our hoppers have. Not sure it will make a lot of difference as it’s been just too hot to go out and try them. Maybe this evening near sunset.
Michael (Wooly) Woolum
State Certified Hunter Education Instructor
Hickory, MS
It does look like a good hopper to try in maybe tan, yellow, and light green. The length of the cut 2mm foam based on hook size is given but I didn’t see a width to use when cutting the foam based on hook size in the instructions though. A width would be helpful to me.
dixieangler. I tied these on the Mustad 9671 #10 Nymph hook. This matches the size of the little hoppers we have here and are the smallest that I like to use for Bream so that they can’t swallow them too deep.
The top one is tied with light green foam and light green chenille and a brown saddle hackle. The legs are cut off the skirts used by bass fishermen on their jigs and spinner baits.
The bottom one is tied with olive chenille. The wing material is a sheet material from Cabella’s that is for making stone fly wing cases and caddis wings. The legs are Centipede legs.
I used 1/4 inch for the width of the foam as this seemed to match the natural size I was after. For a larger 4 or 6 size I would try 5/16 or 3/8 inch width.
Another modification would be to tie this in black or dark brown with the wings but without the legs for a dry caddis fly.
Lots of possibilities. Just use your imagination.
Michael (Wooly) Woolum
State Certified Hunter Education Instructor
Hickory, MS
[This message has been edited by Wooly (edited 26 July 2005).]
I’d use the old stand by for tying any width type dealy…The hook gape…is always a good general guide for width…
“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best
. I suspected it might be 1/4 inch 
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