GFA Hopper

[McFlyLures 0]

The GFA Hopper is a simple yet very effective dry fly.  Being made of mostly foam and deer hair it floats very well.  It also is a good representation of a grasshopper so it works well in the summer when the grasshoppers are abundant.  Foam comes in a wide variety of colors, so you can make a wide range of different hopper colors.  Want something bright?  Go with hot pink or chartreuse?  Want something more natural?  Tan, gold, brown, etc will work to more represent the colors of a grasshopper.  Heck even all black will work great to look like a cricket.  These can be tied quite small which will work great for sunfish.  The normal sizes are great for trout, and you can even go larger to mimic a cicada of sorts, and those will work great for bass.  If you do go much larger, its probably best to use the 3mm foam rather than the 2mm.  

To be honest, I do not know who originally created this fly.  Honestly I haven't done a ton of research on that either.  I first saw this fly tied by another YouTube channel called "tight-lines productions".  I dont think though that they are the originator of the pattern, but they might be.  I really liked the pattern after trying it, and it became a staple in my boxes when I went fishing for bass/sunfish.  It also makes a regular appearance in my summer fly boxes when fishing for trout.  It floats very well because of the foam, so it works great as an indicator style fly to hold up some heavy nymphs under it.  

https://youtu.be/1iFPFs5gvdw

Materials
_____________
Hook: Risen 9231 (size 12)
Thread:  Veevus 10/0 (brown)
Dubbing:  Antron Dubbing (cahill cream)
Body:  2mm Fly Foam (tan)
Glue:  Loctite Brush On 
Wing:  Stimulator Deer Hair (bleached) 
Legs:  Centipede Legs (speckled tan, medium)
Hot Spot:  2mm Fly Foam (yellow)

[McFlyLures 0]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iFPFs5gvdw

[McFlyLures 0]

And again, both ways of posting the link didnt imbed.  Here is what it says each time.  

[SilverCreek 0]

 

[gillage 0]

I think from what I have seen

Without the hot spot, the Mini Hopper was developed by Jason Jones, the same person to bring you the Bluegill Candy Hopper.

My favorite surface Bluegill fly tied on #10 in yellow, bar none.

 

[McFlyLures 0]

Thanks Silver.  HAHA. 

 

Thank you Gillage, I will look up Jason Jones to see if its the same fly.  I couldn't find this info anywhere online.  Thanks for helping.  

[gillage 0]

1 hour ago, McFlyLures said:

 Thank you Gillage, I will look up Jason Jones to see if its the same fly.  I couldn't find this info anywhere online.  Thanks for helping.  

I stand corrected, I was too quick to respond.

Jason Jone was responsible for the  GFA Mini Hopper, a close but not exactly the same pattern.

Using Elk hair and foam body is tied differently.

My apologizes.

 

[flytire 0]

walter weise is apparently the creator of the gfa hopper

 

[Sandan 0]

On 6/23/2022 at 8:10 AM, SilverCreek said:

 

To the rescue once again

[McFlyLures 0]

Thanks for the info fellas.  Yeah I’ve seen tight lines video before, but I never heard who was the original tier.  I think it’s because I don’t listen well.  Haha!  Thanks for clarifying.  I have a bad memory when it comes to info like this.  I’ve never been good with history or memorization.  I appreciate your gift in knowing this stuff flytier, thanks for helping