Parachute Hopper: Tying Instructions

When I was up in Idaho and Utah over the break I found myself dreaming about fishing and not the Green or the Henry's Fork but some of the little creeks up in the Uintas, you know the kind where a twelve inch cutty is a hawg. I think this hopper is about my favorite fly to fish on those little creeks but it also crushes on the Green and the Ranch and still floats good enough to hang a heavy dropper off of it. I had great luck with it this summer on some of the creeks up on the rim.

Hook: TMC 200R #10-12

Thread: Light Cahill 6/0 Uni

Tail: Copper Krystal Flash

Rib: Single Strand Red Floss

Body: Tannish Yellow Dubbing

Wing: Deer Hair

Legs: Red Pheasant Tail - Knotted

Post: Poly Yarn

Hackle: Grizzly

Step 1: Tie in three strands of Krystal Flash and clip short.

Step 2: Tie in floss.

Step 3: Dub body and rib with floss.

Step 4: Tie in wing.

Step 5: Tie in matching knotted pheasant tail fibers on opposing sides of body.

Now your fly should look like this. Make sure and cut the hair at a nice angle and cover all the butts with thread so you have a nice taper to put your post on .

Step 6: Tie in post and grizzly hackle.

Step 7: Dub thorax.

Step 8: Wrap hackle, tie off and whip finish.

Here is the finished fly. I like to wrap 5-7 turns

of grizzly hackle on them so they float really well and I can fish a copper john or similar nymph off them as a dropper. You can change the dubbing color to match your local bugs.

Happy Tying.