Here is my Improved Hopper


These hoppers catch largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, trout, bluegill and
catfish and are excellent searching new waters. They can be used almost
year around and are especially useful in wind. Yellow ones are easy to see
in faint light. Floating and sinking hoppers are equally effective. Use
small green size 12 hoppers in early season and big size 4 brown and yellow
hoppers in the late fall. This pattern is tied under the hook making it ride
higher and more fish-attractive.


Pattern Traditional Material

Hook: Size 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 4X long, light wire Dai-Riki
700;.Mustad 9671 or 9672; or Daiichi 1710 or 1720. Choose lightest wire
possible.

Thread: 6/0 - size 8-12; 3/0 - size 6-4; black, yellow or green
waxed.

Tail: Dyed crimson hen saddle hackle - 5-7 fibers -2/3 to
100% web.

Body: Small and medium round foam; yellow and white colored
with Leaf Green and Tan Prismacolor permanent marker.

Wings: Natural brown, dyed yellow and green hen back; bent and
prepared.

Under 7-9 bleached and dyed yellow or green elk or moose hairs,

Coating: Dave's Flexament or Softtex on Saran Wrap.

Hackle: Grizzly; natural, dyed yellow or green, shiny side
forward.

Legs: Knotted pheasant tail fibers or trimmed grizzly hackle
stem.



In advance, coat bottom side of hen feather, place bottom side on Saran Wrap
and let dry overnight.



Instructions

1. Measure piece of foam size of hook, measured from bend to hook eye,
and cut.

2. Measure one hook gap on foam, then punch hook point through center
of foam and push foam up against hook eye out of the way. Insert hook in
vise.

3. Select 5-7 red hackle fibers one gap long, trim and tie off looping
down at bend.

4. Pull foam back to thread, place foam under hook with short end to
left of thread and over red fibers. Using soft loop technique and thumb
nail, form abdomen under hook, crossing on top of hook. Tie off end of foam
leaving room for hackle.

5. Select, pack and trim hair foam length plus one half gap extra. Tie
in and wrap hair.

6. Tie in legs; splayed. For ease in tying, tuck ends of legs under
hopper through bend.

7. Select dried hen back feather that is at least as long as foam.
Using scissors, trim Saran Wrap, discarding webby fluff. Bend in halves
along center of feather, Saran side down. Trim to form matching wing case.

8. Tie in wing case over legs and hair, leave room for tying head,
cement if desired.

9. Select grizzly hackle, tie in dull side forward, whip finish and
apply head cement.



The yellow size 8 caught a 16 inch small bass today. Hope this helps. Any
questions, just let me know
Good luck!
John


"DoubleHaul" wrote in message
news

Any body got a *foam hopper* pattern they would like to share? I saw the
1st live grasshopper of the summer today. I usually tie them with
conventional materials but would like to give the foam a go.
Thanks, DH


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