Headed West

[Lancer09]

In 2 days I head out west. Like any other trip I've been tying feverishly only to probably use four or five total flies.

It's hopper time out there and I've been prepping for that. I've been looking for a hopper that would float like a cork, and could support a heavy nymph under it. Between the time to tie them, or not having the proper materials I wasn't really finding anything that I liked or felt confident in. I wanted something with a synthetic wing to hold floatant to keep it up. I like hair wings on hoppers for how they look but how they float as well.

I put together something of my own creation. All hoppers are essentially the same with mixed components in different portions, I'm not huge on naming flies but this thing might as well be the golden corral with as much stuff as it has on it, so that's what it will affectionately be referred to now as.. the Golden Corral.

Foam Body

Pearl Crystal Flash

Synthetic wing

Foam overwing

Stacked elk hair wing

yellow barred rubber legs

and the foam body folded back over for the head.

even if it doesn't fish well, at least I have a good looking indicator in a few days.

[Greasy B]

That's a fine looking fly, the trout will be all over it.

[snagged in outlet 3]

Nice looking fly!

I've been out west many times and years I ago I discovered that I could tie caddis flies in several different body colors and that's all I would use.

Killed em.

Barring a specific hatch like green drakes or something.

The other method I found that not many people do out there is fishing streamers on sinking lines.

Also killed em.

Pete

[BilletHead]

Looks great Lancer! Will be ready for your report. Be safe friend,

BilletHead

[DaddyO]

That looks awesome! What hook and size did you use on your GC Hopper?

[Lancer09]

Looks great Lancer! Will be ready for your report. Be safe friend,

BilletHead

Thank you Sir! I hope to put something together when we get back. Phones are staying away while there unless we are taking pictures. Will be good to use that as a chance to get away.

That looks awesome! What hook and size did you use on your GC Hopper?

This is a 6. I've got a few tied through 10's as well. Really any smaller than that though and they get tough with as much stuff is on there.

[Nighthawk]

If you're going anywhere near Montana tie up some purple haze dry flies. I killed 'em on that fly a year ago.

[Lancer09]

It does in fact work.

I've got a little tweaking I want to do to it now that I've really put it to the test, but It caught fish on the snake and had rises on another creek up there.

The foam over wing needs to be a bit wider to envelop the poly wing, and a dubbed body added should pull the bottom of the fly down more often. It usually landed right but would sometimes go sideways and not want to right itself.