Foam Hopper

FOAM HOPPER

I have tried lots of hopper patterns, and didn’t enjoy tying any of them. I ended up for a long time using bullet head deer hair versions, and almost quit using hopper patterns altogether, using large Stimulators instead.

Recently, Mikey Wier was presenting the program for Southern Oregon Fly Fishers, and selling a hopper that is all foam and solid rubber, and quite simple. So I bought one and copied it. I don’t know if he designed it or if he copied it from someone else. I find this fly straight-forward and fun to tie, and think you will enjoy it too - more importantly, find it effective.

RECIPE:

Hook                           #8, 3XL (dimensions given here are for this hook, other sizes are possible, of course)

Thread                        Heavy, 210/3-0, so it does not cut foam. Keep thread untwisted to avoid cutting foam

Body                            Tan 2 mm foam, 8 mm wide and 3” long

Wing                           Brown 2 mm foam, 8 mm wide and 1” long

Legs                            2-1/2” Rubber leg material, preferred color, trimmed later

Visual                          Orange foam, small strip for top, if desired, or yarn

PROCESS:

1. Put hook through body strip somewhat off center (leave long enough on bottom to pull tight for trimming), and leave on bend, then place in vise.
2. Lay base of thread along shank back to bend and form small ball to hold strip back. Make two or three wraps forward, and folding foam top and bottom, form the last section of tail.
3. Hold back strip (top and bottom), wind thread two to three more wraps around shank and tie another section. Repeat this step twice more, to form four sections of abdomen/tail.
4. Holding strips back, wind three wraps of thread around shank, and tie in 2 leg sections in middle, to form legs.
5. Wrap thread forward over leg material about 3/16” under thorax.
6. Tie down bottom section of foam behind eye, ahead of front legs, and trim close. Pull top section forward, making two or three wraps in same place.
7. Split wing section to 3/16” of end, place uncut end about 1/8” beyond the eye of hook and fold back the tan foam over the wing, without allowing the foam to move. Holding the foam firmly in this position, make several wraps over the same spot, squeezing down the foam firmly w/o cutting into it.
8. Whip finish a couple of times in the same spot, including the orange strip. Trim thread and then the strip (about 3/16” high).
9. Trim and adjust legs as desired and glue whip finished thread to secure.

Tight threads!  Ed Morphis

December SOFT Meeting

Southern Oregon Fly Tyers

Meeting on Tuesday, December 12, 2017

6:00 PM

8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill

The December SOFT meeting will feature a demo by Ed Morphis on Mikey Weir’s foam grasshopper. This is a great terrestrial pattern and Ed is a superb instructor. He w.ill have pattern handouts for you to follow.

Dan Kellogg will be at the tech table after the tying demo. This month will be all about wing cases.

Don’t miss this one, it promises to be a fun and informative evening  with your fly tying friends.

Bring some holiday treats and raffle prizes to share.

November Meeting

Southern Oregon Fly Tyers

Meeting on Tuesday, November 14, 2017

6:00 PM

8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill

This months demo tier will be Dan Kellogg

The Orange Partridge (from T.E. Pritt, 1886)

Wings: Hackled with a well-dappled feather from a Partridge's back.

Body: Orange silk (This refers to orange tying silk, rather than silk floss. Silk floss has more sheen, and tying silk is stronger).

Partridge and Orange (American)

Hooks: MUSR70, TMC3769, or DIA1550, sizes 10-14.

Thread: Orange (note: Very often tied with black thread, Orvis makes them that way) E.A.

Abdomen: Orange floss.

Thorax: Dubbed with hare's mask fur.

Hackle: Mottled gray Hungarian partridge tied on as a collar.

October Meeting

Southern Oregon Fly Tyers

Meeting on Tuesday, October 10, 2017

6:00 PM

8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill

     I hope that everyone has had a great summer, a little hot for me but nonetheless some good fishing was had on our local streams and lakes.  Especially true for me on the upper Rogue river, the holy water, and Medco Pond.

    We will miss Dave Hamilton, but part of his legacy is the tying sessions and the fly’s he shared with all the members of SOFT.  It would be nice to set up a group tying session and horror him by tying 2-3 of his favorite fly’s which I will speak with Cathy Hamilton about.

     This session I will lead and tie a new pattern modeled after Mr. Paul Wolflick’s black Carey Special he uses on lakes very successfully.  We will also do a second variation of this fly which attempts to solve the “short strike” issue I found recently on the holy water of the Rogue River.  On 3 successive trips I have swung this fly successfully (17 for 25 with 14-22 inch fish, 8 for 13 with 10-18 inch fish and, 7 for 12 with 11-18 inch fish).  I broke many fish off on 3x tippet and finally went to 2x and the fish didn’t seem to mind.  A friend also nymphed with this fly for an 18 inch fish, also on the holy water.

     Let us not forget to bring flies for the raffle, and any items you may wish to donate for our raffle.  We also will have a table up for any items you may want to give to others (the “I have too much stuff” let’s give some to somebody else who can use it}.

    Also this summer the club donated 6 boxes of flies to Water Watch for their fundraising activities.

    I look forward to seeing everyone and the meeting and please bring friends or anyone who would like to participate with our group.

Pattern:          McBear’s UV Black Syn Carey (lakes) and Micro Intruder (rivers)

Lake version –

Hook – TMC 3761 size 8

Thread – Black Uni size 8/0 or 6/0

Body – Marc Pettijean Ice Dub #7, or Black UV Ice Dub from Hareline

Four Strands of Midge Flash Peacock (2 times body length

Hackle – Purple Pheasant Rump with one side stripped (2 – 3) turn

Black head with head cement

River Version – 

Senyo’s Micro Shank 23 mm (Fish Skull)

Hook- Owner Black Chrome Mosquito Hook size 8

Connector – White Spyder Line 20 lb

Thread – as above

Body – as above

Midge Flash – as above

Hackle – as above

Head – as above

No Meeting In September

No meeting in September but get ready for a good one in October!  

FALL 2017 PROJECT HEALING WATERS

Coming up in just a months time, the next opportunity to help a veteran.  This program can make a huge difference in someones life.  It really came clear to me when I heard one of the veterans explain how it worked for him.  "When I am casting I don't have time to think about all the s*** that has my life all messed up.  I have to concentrate on my hands, arms, the rod and line.  It just keeps your mind busy".

You don't have to be the best caster or fisherman to make a difference.  Just being there tells the veterans that you care.  Click on the Project Healing Waters tab at the top.

Dave Hamilton Remembered

There will be a "Celebration of Life" for Dave Hamilton on Sunday, August 20, from 1 - 4.  It will take place in the Evergreen Room, the community room overlooking the Rogue River, right next to the Taprock restaurant in Grants Pass.  There will NOT be a formal program -- it will be very casual ... just "open house"-style, so people can stop in any time to enjoy some light refreshments, look at pictures, and remember a wonderful man.  We hope that many of Dave's fly tying and fly fishing friends will be able to make it.

If  you want to send a card, it can be addressed to, Cathy Hamilton, 1143 Sleepy Hollow Loop, Grants Pass, OR, 97527.  Also per Cathy's request:  "In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society."  

Dave 

RSVP Now! or sooner!

Annual SOFT Dinner 

Tuesday June 13, 2017 

5:00 Happy Hour 

6:00 Dinner 

7:30 Raffle 

Where: Madrone Hill Mobile Home Park, Conference Center,  8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill.

We are setting up our Annual BBQ /Potluck dinner for our June 13th meeting. Food and beverages will be provided and spouses and significant others are very welcome. As this has been a potluck in the past we ask that you let us know if you are planning to bring any side dishes and if not, what if any deserts or other interesting things you want to bring to share. 

We need to get a head count ASAP and we would like to know if you will be bringing anything so that we do not over purchase the main course / side dishes and beverages. 

Please RSVP to me (Dave McCants) at Davetyer@comcast.net or call Dave at 925 451 8705. If you could get back to us by June 7th that would really help with our planning for this event. 

For those interested, during happy hour, I will show how easy it is to make hot glue eggs for those of us who enjoy nymphing.

June SOFT Meeting

Annual SOFT Dinner 

Tuesday June 13, 2017 

5:00 Happy Hour 

6:00 Dinner 

7:30 Raffle 

Where: Madrone Hill Mobile Home Park, Conference Center,  8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill.

We are setting up our Annual BBQ /Potluck dinner for our June 13th meeting. Food and beverages will be provided and spouses and significant others are very welcome. As this has been a potluck in the past we ask that you let us know if you are planning to bring any side dishes and if not, what if any deserts or other interesting things you want to bring to share. 

We need to get a head count ASAP and we would like to know if you will be bringing anything so that we do not over purchase the main course / side dishes and beverages. 

Please RSVP to me (Dave McCants) at Davetyer@comcast.net. If you could get back to us by June 7th that would really help with our planning for this event. 
For those interested, during happy hour, I will show how easy it is to make hot glue eggs for those of us who enjoy nymphing.

We will have the following: 
Ribs and Chicken / Baked Beans / Potato Salad / Green Salad / Green Salad / Bread / 
Wine / Beer / Soft Drinks… and of course what deserts or other dishes you wish to bring along… 
I believe that this will be the last chance to bring flies for Water Watch and we will be silent (no meetings for July and August, September still a possibility). 
Also, please bring any flies or other donations for our raffle chairman as we will have a raffle after dinner. 
It has been a great tying season, high water and all! Kindest regards, Dave McCants

May SOFT Meeting

Southern Oregon Fly Tiers

Tuesday, May 9^th

6pm – 8pm

Tie Together Session

Hello to one and all!

As discussed at last meeting we are going to have a “sit down and tie together session” on Tuesday May 9^th starting at 6 pm, 15 minutes of announcements and then we will get right to it.  If there is time we will move on to a third fly, the Yong Special.  There will be no Tech Session for this meeting.

We will be doing two flies during this session and it will include the McBear’s STIS March Brown and Bob Grace’s (Dunsmuir Fly Shop) Flash Wing Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail.  The materials list for the March Brown is in last month’s announcement.  Mr. Ed Morphis will give a brief review of the key points in tying the March Brown and Dave McCants will lead the tying session.

Then we will move on to the Flash Wing Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail as lead by Dave again.  The key features that are different from a standard pheasant tail are the “V” wing and the soft hackle feather in front of the “v” wing.  Materials and photos are as follows:

Hook, size 14 soft hackle (I use Gaelic Supreme size 14 and 16 Sly Nemes up eye soft hackle hook, but any size 14 will do for this class),

Thread – Black 8/0 10/0 12/0 Veevus or Uni thread,

Rib – small or fine copper wire (counter wound),

Tail – 3-4 pheasant center tail fibers,

Abdomen – 4 Pheasant center tail fibers,

V Wing – Small Pearl Mylar,

Thorax – Peacock herl (small),

Hackle – Hen furnace hackle, 2 turns.

Please bring materials for both flies, I will have Yong Special threads available for everyone, if we get to that fly.  I can also supply 4 inch pleasant tail centers available.  If anyone needs a vice, I can bring 4 vices that attach to a table for use in the session, but you need to contact me at Davetyer@comcast.net and let me know you need one so I bring them to the class session.

I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Kindest regards, Dave

April SOFT Meeting, Fly of the Month, and Tech Table

SOFT – Tuesday, March 11, 2017 

6:00 pm
   8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill

Dave McCants will be our demonstration tier this month.

He will tie this time, 2 flies here is first one...

McBear's STIS March Brown

Hook -Daiichi 1180, 10-12 or similar hook,

Thread - Uni 6/0 rust brown

Trailing shuck - antron or zlon pheasant tail or amber

Abdomen - mahogany turkey bit or black

Post - Carpet yarn or Anthon with 4 strands of root beer micro krystal flash

Hackle - grizzly dyed March brown or dark Cree

Thorax - March brown dubbing of choice

Note 1 - bend hook 30 degrees at 3-4 eye lengths behind eye.

Note 2 - Tie off hackle against wingpost.

March Brown

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Second fly, Yong Special, see also handout that will be given out at tying session...

Hook - Any 1x strong nymph hook sizes 18 - 26,

Abdomen - Sewing thread in brown, red, cream, white, olive or tan,

Head - Any 8/0 to 16/0 black thread to make a well rounded head, then apply head cement only to head...

Note - Tie in abdomen thread in center of hook, no jamb knot, just wrap forward 6 turns, then back (towards tail) 12 wraps, then spin thread and wrap forward to eye (should take about 16 turns) and do 2 turn whip finish.  Make head.

Yon Special

DUBBING MINI SEMINAR CONTINUES

This month at the Tech Table we will continue our mini seminar on dubbing techniques. We left off with an introduction to the split-thread method and will discuss the varied ways it can be used for different effects. We will also be covering some different designs of dubbing blocks for creating dubbing brushes. There will be some great information to be shared so don’t miss this one right after the tying demo.

SOFT Meeting, Fly of the Month and Tech Table

SOFT – Tuesday, March 14, 2017 
6:00 pm
   8401 Old Stage Road, Gold Hill

At our March meeting, Cathy Hamilton will be demonstrating a Woven Body Prince Nymph, utilizing the overhand weave.  This is a weighted fly, and the demonstration will include her special technique for adding the weight to the sides of the hook.  Those who watched Lee Wedberg’s demo at the February meeting will be able to compare his method with Cathy’s.

Weaving flies is not as complex as it might appear -- as with everything else in fly tying, it just requires a bit of practice.  But the special effects it can give your flies make it a technique that’s worth mastering.

Many different materials can be used for weaving, and Cathy will discuss the considerations for selecting suitable materials.  She will also have some examples of larger and smaller flies tied using the overhand weave technique, showing the versatility of the weave, and will have samples of other weaves that are used in fly tying.  

HOOK -- TMC 200R, size 8 (or equivalent)

THREAD -- UTC 140 (for wrapping lead), UNI 8/0 (for tying fly), both black

LEAD -- .025 (Superglue applied after lead is covered with thread)

TAIL -- Brown goose biots

Body -- Kreinik #12 Braid (“Tapestry Braid”), colors 005 (black) and 015    (chartreuse)

BEARD -- Black saddle hackle

WINGS -- White goose biots

AT THE TECH TABLE

 

This month the Tech Table will feature a mini seminar on dubbing techniques. We will cover the many and varied methods of applying all those different types of dubbing to the thread and hook. There may even be one you didn’t know about. The seminar will begin right after the tier demo. Don’t miss it.