Newbie Question: What hopper pattern?

Any recommendations on a hopper pattern? I've used Dave's Hopper and
had some success, but wondered if there were other patterns that were
worth trying. Thanks in advance for your advice.

On 7 Nov, 21:55, mdk77 wrote:
Any recommendations on a hopper pattern? I've used Dave's Hopper and
had some success, but wondered if there were other patterns that were
worth trying. Thanks in advance for your advice.

Really depends on how you want to fish it. I use this one a lot;

http://www.mike-connor.homepage.t-on..._s_hopper.html

but there are lots of good hopper patterns out there. Personally I
think good floating patterns are essential. A muddler is a good
pattern, and there are a lot of good foam patterns as well.

Many of the "traditional" hopper patterns are not really very good, as
they don´t float very well. A sunk hopper may work on occasion, but
the floating patterns are definitely better.

Of course you should go with a colour scheme that suits your local
hoppers.

There is also a large range of UK still water patterns known as
"hoppers", which usually actually imitate crane flies and the like,
these can be very successful indeed on occasion. hedgehogs, sedgehogs
and a number of others also work very well.

As the best all rounder I would probably choose a muddler in the
appropriate colours.

http://www.orkneytroutfishing.co.uk/...ry/index1.html

TL
MC

For comprehensive step by step instructions for dressing these and
many other flies;

http://www.flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14091

TL
MC

"mdk77" wrote in message
ups.com...
Any recommendations on a hopper pattern? I've used Dave's Hopper and
had some success, but wondered if there were other patterns that were
worth trying. Thanks in advance for your advice.

There are many good patterns. For ease of tying, the Letort hopper is hard
to beat.....assuming you can master the rudiments of spinning deer hair, and
the rudiments ain't all that tough. Besides, it doesn't have to look good.
It is a truism in fly fishing that many flies perform better and better as
they get more and more ragged and nasty looking. While perhaps not strictly
true with all patterns, it has been my experience that it's true in spades
for hoppers.

My own favorite hopper for many years now is a bullet head pattern I learned
from The Malignant Dwarf. Photo and tying instructions are available on
Stan Gula's fly swap pages:

http://gula.org/roffswaps/recipe.php?page=DD2002&id=18

Good luck.

Wolfgang

On 7 Nov, 21:55, mdk77 wrote:
Any recommendations on a hopper pattern? I've used Dave's Hopper and
had some success, but wondered if there were other patterns that were
worth trying. Thanks in advance for your advice.

By the way, if you use multi fly rigs, like a hopper dropper, and a
nymph point for instance, this method solves the problem of how to
attach the hopper "in line";

http://www.flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8063

TL
MC

On 7 Nov, 22:31, "Wolfgang" wrote:
"mdk77" wrote in message

ups.com...

Any recommendations on a hopper pattern? I've used Dave's Hopper and
had some success, but wondered if there were other patterns that were
worth trying. Thanks in advance for your advice.

There are many good patterns. For ease of tying, the Letort hopper is hard
to beat.....assuming you can master the rudiments of spinning deer hair, and
the rudiments ain't all that tough. Besides, it doesn't have to look good.
It is a truism in fly fishing that many flies perform better and better as
they get more and more ragged and nasty looking. While perhaps not strictly
true with all patterns, it has been my experience that it's true in spades
for hoppers.

My own favorite hopper for many years now is a bullet head pattern I learned
from The Malignant Dwarf. Photo and tying instructions are available on
Stan Gula's fly swap pages:

http://gula.org/roffswaps/recipe.php?page=DD2002&id=18

Good luck.

Wolfgang

That is also a very good pattern, here is an extremely simple version
of it which works very well. I actually prefer to use hares´ear
dubbing for this fly myself, as many of the hoppers on a local stream
are a light browen colour, but one may of course use any colour
dubbing to suit. It also works extremely well as a half hog, or
hedgehog, which does not require one to spin the deer hair ( just
examples shown below)

http://www.flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5918

http://www.flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=190

http://www.orkneytroutfishing.co.uk/...en_halfhog.htm

http://www.orkneytroutfishing.co.uk/...o_hedgehog.htm

TL
MC

mdk77 wrote:
Any recommendations on a hopper pattern? I've used Dave's Hopper and
had some success, but wondered if there were other patterns that were
worth trying. Thanks in advance for your advice.

I like a hopper that floats well but will sit low in the
water. For that reason I'm not fond of the foam patterns.
After tying and fishing a bunch of hoppers I settled on
this pattern as one that is easy to tie and as effective
as any.

http://tinyurl.com/3742sd

--
Ken Fortenberry

Also some interesting history on the Letort hopper;

http://flyfisherman.com/northeast/bapasampler/

TL
MC

"Wolfgang" wrote in message . Besides, it doesn't have
to look good.
It is a truism in fly fishing that many flies perform better and better as
they get more and more ragged and nasty looking.
Joe the Elder concurs----sorry for you to print this Wolfgang----I have
used Jeff Miller's discarted flies for a few years , now my supply might be
sparse .

"Joe McIntosh" wrote in message
.. .

"Wolfgang" wrote in message . Besides, it doesn't have
to look good.
It is a truism in fly fishing that many flies perform better and better
as they get more and more ragged and nasty looking.

Joe the Elder concurs----sorry for you to print this Wolfgang----I have
used Jeff Miller's discarted flies for a few years , now my supply might
be sparse .

You need to get that boy out on the streams more. It's all that hardware
fishing he's been doing that is responsible for the deplorable condition of
your fly boxes.

Wolfgang
who notes that some people have absolutely no consideration for others.