AK's Hopper
Tied by Brian Gann, gann@synopsys.com
PATTERN:
Hook Size: 10, 2x if you want.
Tail: Loop of yellow antron yarn (same piece as body)
Hackle: Brown, palmered
Lower Wing: Turkey Quill, mottled
Upper Wing: Natural Deer Hair (tail, body, depending on hook)
(Can substitute Elk Hair)
Head: Spun Deer Body Hair
Thread: Yellow
Preparation:
First, prep the turkey quill by spraying it with something like
Krylon Fix-a-stif, it will help keep it all together while
tying it in, and possible shifting around.
Cut out a 3/8" piece (width) of the quill from the base of
the stem, fold it in half, and cut an inverse "V".
I like to prep a bunch of these before starting, it saves time.
1) Make a small loop of the antron yarn, and tie it just
before the bend of the hook. Give it three solid wraps.
2) Tie in hackle tip where you left off with the thread.
3) Wrap the yarn around the hook up to 1/3 of the distance
from the hook eye, and tie it off, cut off excess.
Make the wraps tight, it's a slim body.
4) Palmer the hackle forward to the same place the yarn ends,
tie it off and clip off the excess.
5) Clip any hackle above the hook.
6) Tie down the turkey quill, on top of the ending of the yarn
tie off point. The quill should extend beyond the loop of antron.
Give it one loose wrap first, line up the quill
slightly offcenter in front of you, and give it one tight wrap,
this will torque the quill into place with a tight tie-down.
Give it a few more wraps.
7) Grab a clump of deer hair (should be as long as the turkey
quill once tied down), line up the tips in a hair stacker,
tie down on top of the turkey quill, give it a couple of tight
wraps. You don't want this to spin on you (You'll See!)
8) Grab some deer body hair, and tie in in from of the
antron/hackle/quill/deer hair tie down point, tie it in
midway loosely, and spin it around the hook.
9) Repeat step 8 (packing it as you go) until you are up to
the hook eye.
10) Whip finish, and cut off thread.
11) Use scissors/razor blade to shape the head.
Shave flat the "underhook portion" very close to
the hook (leave some though!), and taper the sides
and top into a cone/square.
Enjoy! (I got all this from a picture..., and
tips from AK's Production Fly Tying book, I highly
recommend it!)
Brian Gann
gann@synopsys.com
(415) 694-1549 work
"Hey! Who took the cork off my lunch??!" -- W. C. Fields
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