BC Hopper

Tying Steps (Click on Pictures for a bigger image):

Step 1: First before putting the hook on the vise, cut a piece of foam that is as wide as the hook gap and about 4" long for size 6 - 8 flies and 3 1/2" long for size 10 - 12 flies. Slip the piece of foam on the hook making sure that it is centered and make sure that one end has about an inch foam extending beyond the bend of the hook.

Step 2: Now cut a 2 mm x 2 mm piece foam and start the thread about two eye lengths behind the eye of the hook. Now tie the piece of 2mm x 2mm foam in from where you started the thread to the bend of the hook and cut off the excess foam and leave the thread at the bend of the hook so that it is hanging over the foam. This piece of foam with help secure the body once it has been glued.

Step 3: Now take the larger piece of foam and pull it forward so that it rests against the piece of foam that you just tied in and keep it held slightly stretched. Now use the point of your scissors and put a small hole in the top and bottom of the foam at the eye of the hook. Now pull the foam over the eye of the hook where you made the holes.

Step 4: Now use either zap-a-gap or 3M foam adhesive to glue the two sides together as shown in the picture.

Step 5: Allow the foam a little time to dry, then begin forming segments on the foam by first wrapping the where it was left off between the foam and then do a diagonal wrap forward and wrap the next part of the segment. Be sure when tying the segments that you check to make sure that your wraps are keep within the first wrap, and not overlap the foam.

Step 6: Create two more segments for a total of three segments.

Step 7: Now take a razor blade and cut the back of the foam so that it is even witht tops of the segments. Now take your scizors and cut the sides of the foam in front of the third segment so that it is flat on each side and then cut the back of the foam that you cut with the razor blade so that it is even with the segments.

Step 8: Now prepare the rear legs by taking a strip of three sections of round rubber leggs that are still connected and tying a knot in them. Now leave all three pieces one side of the knot and clip the top two pieces of rubber leg material. Now tie the the legs in so that they oppose each other and the one piece side extends to just beyond the end of the foam. Next bring the thread back one segment by doing another diagonal wrap and secure the legs there as well. Now bring the thread back to the front of the segment.

Step 9: Now cut a piece of web wing material that is as wide as the gap of the hook and rounded off on end. Tie it in so that it extends to just beyond the end of the foam body.

Step 10: Now tie in about 10 to 15 strands of Root Beer Crystal Flash that are the length of the body foam.

Step 11: Prepare and stack at large clump of deer or elk hair that is the same length of slightly longer than the Crystal Flash, and tie it in for the over wing by first do a couple of loose wrap and then some tight wraps while keeping your along is the hair to prevent it from going over the side of the foam. Trim the excess deer hair.

Step 12: Wrap the thread forward to the bare hook shank in front of the foam body. Prepare a very large clump of deer or elk hair, and tie it in so that it extents about half a shank lenght beyond the eye of the hook. Tie the hair in at the eye of the hook with a couple loose turns of thread and then a tight one causing the hair to spin. Trim all of the butts of the hair and bring the thread back to point where the wing was tied in at.

Step 13: Use a piece of tubing to form the bullet head, this tubing can be obtained from an ink pen and should be relatively tight on the hair. Bring it all of the way back to where the thread is and do a couple of loose wraps and then several tight wraps. Next cut all of the hair from the bottom of the hook.

Step 14: Tie in two equal size rubber legs that are just under an inch long. Then tie in a piece of indicator, whip finish and go fishing.