DH Hopper Tying tutorial

DH Hopper

I have been tying this hopper for a while. I have had a few requests for a step by tutorial for this fly. The DH Hopper has been one my hottest sellers for this summer. The pattern is a easy tie and has simple materials.
Hook: 2xl dry fly hook MFC#7022 size 10 thru size 14
Thread: 6/0 tan
Overbody: 2mm foam Brown
Underbody: 1mm Razor foam Tan
Underwing: Rainbow Crystal Flash
Overwing: Natural Bull Elk
Thorax: Tan UV Ice Dubbing
Legs: Brown centipede legs

Step 1: Attach thread and cover shank of hook

Step 2: Cut a piece of 2mm foam. The width of foam should be the width of the hook gap.

Step 3: Attach 2mm faom to the hook shank, right above the barb of the hook. Advance the thread to the 3/4 point on the hook.

Step 4: Cut 1mm foam in a strip about 1/8" wide. Tapper the tie point.

Step 5: Attach 1mm razor foam at about 1/2 point on the hook shank. Bind down foam to tie point for the 2mm foam.

Step 6: Wrap the 1mm faom foward, first wrap needs to be handled with care. As you wrap the foam forward it will create a nice segmented body. Wrap forward to the 3/4 point of the hook shank and tie off.

Step 7: Pull 2mm foam over the body and bind down. Bind down all the way up to the eye of the hook. Do not trim the foam out over the eye.

Step 8: Attach about 6 strands of rainbow crystal flash

Step 9: Attach elk hair wing, length of wing should just go back past the tie in point for the overbody.

Step 10: Dub the thorax with UV Ice dub. Note where the thread ends up.

Step 11: Attach rubber legs on each side of the body

Step 12: Pull faom back over the thorax and bind down. Whip finish and trim foam back. Trim legs to length

View of finished fly from bottom

View of finished fly from bottom with tan and yellow

Give this pattern a try. Let me know what you think.

Mini DH Hopper Challenge

I have been tying my DH hopper in standard sizes for a while, it has been a very productive pattern. I tie it in a wide range of colors. I have a customer that has been ordering my DH hopper in size 12, he seems to really like it. He had a strange request this week, he wanted the DH hopper in a size 16. I thought about it and said I can do this. The biggest challenge with this fly would be what hook to use. A standard dry fly hook would have no gap left after you tie the fly. After a couple of tries I settled on a TMC2499SPBL hook is a size 12. The shanks length of that hook closely matched that of a size 16 2XL dry fly hook.   I also liked that it had a slight curve to the hook.

Group photo

I think this little hopper could hold a a good size dropper

Bottom view

I wish Montana Fly Co. made those red/black/yellow rubber legs in a small size

I think this little fly has a lot of potential as a attractor dry fly in these sizes. I'm also going to try it on the same hook but is a size 10.  I don't think I would take it any smaller than this.

New mayfly nymph pattern - BWO colors

Been playing around with this little pattern. Wanting a fly with a little more kick to it. 

Hook: MFC #7076 1XL

Bead: Brass

Thread: 14/0 Olive

Tail: Partridge

Abdomen: Peacock Krystal Flash over olive thread

Legs: Partridge

Wing: Pearl Krystal Flash

Thorax: Olive Dubbing 

Basically the same fly with a few minor changes

1. Olive tungsten bead

2. Legs are olive flouro fibre 

3. Tail is a olive dyed partridge

This made my day - Fly Tyer Magazine Summer 2010

Finally got my hands a the newest Fly Tyer Magazine, and inside I found something pretty cool. It's not to big    of a deal, but I think it's pretty cool.

Inside the magazine was a article for the newest patterns for Montana Fly Company. Started scrolling threw the patterns and I find a cool surprise.

And there it is, Pennington's D-Rib Golden. I was pleasantly surprised, I had heard from MFC that this might happen. You never know until you see it for your own eyes. The only thing that is a little dis hearting is that they have the material list incorrect. At least I know the fly is correct, that is one I actually tied. 

Trip Report - Antero Res. 5/15/10

Took off early Saturday morning for Antero Res. with great anticipation for a fun filled day of fishing. Kelly one of my co-workers came a long for the ride. We head over for the north shore to set up for the day. We where greeted with this view. Shortly after arriving at the north shore we where greeted by a short lived snow squall. We had a couple of fisherman to the north of us, otherwise we had that area of the lake to ourselves. 

First fish of the day, nice fat rainbow.

Close up of the first fish of the day

Red chirnomids and olive scuds seem to work the best. Did catch the last 2 fish of the day on a black UV wooly bugger.

This little gem worked well

Kelly with his first fish, nice little cutty.

Cool Picture

Gotta love Colorado

At the end of the day took a trip over to the south shore, heard some stories that the south shore boat dock was on fire. First thing I thought to myself was this is a three ring circus. The concrete boat dock to left of the ramp was being fished by 6 fisherman. The 10 to 15 minutes we watched this circus I saw 12 fish caught and only two were released. The DOW need to put a full time officer at this lake on weekends. I will get off my soap box now.

Yankee Buzzer - New Chironomid paterrn

I have heard a lot about the new lake pattern from the bench of Rob Kolanda, he was working for Front Range Anglers. The pattern is named the Yankee Buzzer, not a lot of info on the pattern yet. Was able to find  the pattern for sale at Front Range Anglers. The Pattern is being produced by Solitude Flies. The fly is tied in 4 color combinations, black, red, olive and brown. I have tied 3 out of the 4 color combos. I have made some minor changes to the pattern. 1st change is the hook, I'm tying it on a MFC #7231 2XL curved shank hook. Second change is the wing buds I'm using amber biots, they used a amber flex floss. 

The picture above is the Solitude pattern that I purchased from Front Range Anglers.  Not the best looking fly. 

All the flies below are ones that I tied 

Olive Yankee Buzzer

Black Yankee Buzzer

Red Yankee Buzzer

Loon UV Clear Fly Finish and Power light

I have been playing around with two new products from Loon Outdoors. First is there UV Clear Fly finish, I have been using it on some buzzer patterns. First thing that I noticed was the clarity of the product. It seems to be very clear, no tinge of yellow. Started tying with it about a week ago, the flies tied a week ago look like the ones tied yesterday. They have a great gloss finish and still very clear. I had tied some other patterns with UV knot sense and they lost there sheen and clarity after a period of time. Have fished the patterns yet, field testing will be coming.

In conjunction with the UV clear fly finish I was using there new UV power light. The light is very strong, it dose not take long to harden the coating. I have there old 3 bulb light the new light is much stronger. The other thing I like about the new light is that is uses AA batteries and has a on/off switch.

As far as the price on both new products, that is the one draw back to the the products. The UV clear fly finish runs $25.00, the tube is about 3 times the size of the UV knot sense. The new power Light runs about $35.00. In my opinion the products are worth every penny.

Here is a sample fly below, Yankee Buzzer

Working on my fly boxes

Took advantage of a pretty quite day at the home front and got the opportunity to work of my fly boxes. Did get to serious, just attacked some random holes. Also decided to come up with a new pattern for the lake box. Here are some pictures of what was put into the boxes today.

Sparkle wing RS-2

Youngs Flasher

Another view of Youngs flasher

My version of Barr's Bouface. Many difference is that I'm using a pine squirrel collar instead of the marabou collar. Also some new olive tungsten beads on this fly

Group photo of Bouface's

New olive chironomid pattern. This looks to be a killer, can't wait to give it a try

New red chironomid pattern