easyHOPPER Bodies

easyHOPPERS are usually tied with an extended body. Tying instruction will be found on the inside and back of the label. They are available in 3 sizes and 4 colors(yellow, green, pink and orange) as shown below and on the label.

The body of this simple pattern has been twisted a bit to show how the foam has been threaded on the hook much like bait fisherman impale a worm on the hook. Before mounting the body , a small piece is cut off to use as the head. When the body and bucktail wing are tied in, a hole is made in the small piece with the bodkin and the head is forced over the eye of the hook and held in place with Zap-a-Gap, thus hiding the thread. In this case the head was mounted through the side. A hackle collar can be added before mounting the head.

This orange stonefly pattern was sent to me by Dick Talleur after he had photographed it for inclusion in his book "The Versatile Fly Tyer". The wing is reverse tied to form the head as in the Thunder Creek series of streamers.

The legs of this small hopper are made of polypropylene yarn, sold as "Floating Yarn". A small strand was doubled and tied with two overhand knots around a strip of cardboard to form a loop. The cardboard insures that the femurs will be equal in size. The loop was flattened and shaped then coated with Zap-a-Gap to stiffen it. One of the projecting strands was cut off and the other split into two strands and one was cut off to form the lower leg which then was twisted and stiffened with Zap-a-Gap. The angle was adjusted and the glue was applied to the knot. The legs are glued to the body. The body was slotted and glued to the hook. A thread base along the shank insures a firm attachment. The wing is a pheasant "church window" feather coated with head cement, folded and trimmed to size.

Another Dick Talleur hopper, this one using knotted 'rubber legs'. The wing case is cut from the edge of a poly bag and colored with a marking pen. Dick now prefers slotting the body and attaching with Zap-a-Gap rather than threading the body on the hook.

Here's an easy to tie Caddis that will never sink. The abdomen is a small pink easyHOPPER body. It could colored with a waterproof marking pen or it could be tied in green, yellow or orange. The wings are made of tan Organza shaped with a wing burner. Don't try it by folding the fabric, because they will fuse together at the edges. The wings must be made separately. This type of wing should to be treated with flotant because once wet, the fly will roll over on its side. It also helps to trim the bottom of the hackle. You can use just about any type of wing material.

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