In this week’s “How to Tie” video feature, Tim Flagler with Tightlinevideo shows us how to tie a very popular summer hopper pattern, the GFA Hopper.
Learn About This Fly:
Difficulty: Intermediate
Long summer days can mean several things for folks, depending on the hobbies and activities they enjoy this time of year. If you fish for trout, these days signal hopper season, where trout will engulf unsuspecting grasshoppers off the surface with glee. Showing up to the water without a healthy hopper box is a sin no angler should commit. Tie up a batch of GFA Hoppers and watch trout sip and hurl themselves out of the water in pursuit of one of their favorite summer meals.
Working with foam is difficult at first, but it will become much easier the more it is used on the vise. Whether you are tying grasshoppers or floating crabs, this material is applicable for flies targeting nearly any species and important to be able to work with it. Go slow to ensure your proportions are correct, as this is vital to getting fish to commit when rising to the surface. Spice things up this summer with the GFA Hopper and enjoy the process of going all the way from vise to water.
Depending on the size of trout and river conditions, it is likely that a four or five-weight setup will accomplish all of your hopper fishing needs. Pairing that setup with a floating line and a nine-foot tapered leader in 3-4x will likely make this combo your best friend for the dog days to come. The heat may be unbearable some days, but if water temperatures are in a healthy range, it can generate some of the most exciting fishing of the year. Fish the GFA Hopper with confidence and remember to always handle trout carefully as temperatures continue to climb so they can swim off to survive another day.
Ingredients:
- Hook: 2X-long hopper hook (Dai-Riki 1280) – Sizes 6-14
- Thread: UTC 140 Denier – Tan
- Underbody: Peacock herl
- Body: Craft Foam, 2-3mm – Tan
- Wing: Bleached elk hair, cleaned and stacked
- Hot Spot: Bright Craft Foam – 2mm
- Legs: Striped round-rubber legs – Medium
Now you know how to tie the GFA Hopper!
Video and ingredients courtesy of Tightlinevideo.
