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.