The hopper myth?

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote

Legs: Knotted pheasant tail fibers
Thorax: Tan dubbing
Hackle: Grizzly

Tie in the rib at the tail then dub forward to the 60% mark and tie in a
brown hackle. Palmer the hackle backward and tie off with the rib. Wrap
the rib forward to the 60% mark and tie off. Trim the top side of the
hackle flat so the wing will fit properly. Tie in the wing, the legs and
a grizzly hackle at the 60% mark. Dub with tan dubbing to just before
the eye then wrap the grizzly hackle forward and tie off. Finish.

It looks like a Joe's Hopper with legs.


Thanks Ken ... I'll tie a few ....

slight aside .... in some fly shop somewhere I saw a pheasant tail feather
all neatly divided into pre-tied hopper legs ... doing that for a living as
got to be way down anybody's list of preferred gigs

Thanks Ken ... I'll tie a few ....

slight aside .... in some fly shop somewhere I saw a pheasant tail feather
all neatly divided into pre-tied hopper legs ... doing that for a living as
got to be way down anybody's list of preferred gigs


Hopper patterns are very popular in southern Alberta, and very
effective, particularly for rainbows and cutts. I use a deer hair hopper
with the knotted pheasant tail legs. The legs really aren't that hard
to make, you can basically knot them using a pair of fine-tipped forceps
or pliers. Hold a clump of fibres in your fingers. loop them around the
forceps, place the tag end into the jaws of the forceps, clamp, and pull
through the loop. You can find illustrated directions on page 214 of
"Tying Flies with Jack Dennis and Friends". The hopper pattern I like to
use is called the Flat Creek Hopper, and is from the same book. It
floats like a cork, and the trout will really hammer it. I used it on a
float trip down the Oldman River once. I would float it along the bank,
and the rainbows would just slam it.

Tim Lysyk

"Tim Lysyk" wrote

use is called the Flat Creek Hopper, and is from the same book. It floats
like a cork, and the trout will really hammer it. I used it on a


wow, more memories ... I spent a couple summers training dogs on clients
private property and the south section of the Elk preserve in Jackson. As
I remember Flat Creek opens really late in the season, but is a 'stalkers'
dream come true.

I'll google the pattern

Jack Dennis once told me how to 'sneak onto' a spring creek along the Snake,
near my clients property and told me that at worse the owner would just
chase me off, probably even let me stay and fish, but not to bother asking
permission as it was never granted in advance (apparently the owner was well
known as eccentric in Jackson ) .... I was too chicken **** ( oh, let's
change that to ethical :-) to ever do it though

"Tim Lysyk" wrote
use is called the Flat Creek Hopper, and is from the same book. It floats
like a cork, and the trout will really hammer it. I used it on a float
trip down the Oldman River once. I would float it along the bank, and the
rainbows would just slam it.



I googled the p0attern and found a picture

I was also inspired to find my fly box and add this to my website ... the
pattern shown was the result of "what I have to work with" more than real
design ... pheasant would make nicer legs, Ken's turkey a better wing ...
but now I'll be motivated to get the ugly pattern off my site G and work
until I find a hopper I can love G

http://www.kimshew.com/flyfish/displ...?pattern_id=10