Grasshoppers

[Dogman]

I went out last night for a couple hours down to Chippawa Creek just before dark. I started tossing a foam hopper pattern that I tied up and the bass were going nuts. Almost every cast it was getting blown up on. I tied it on too small of a hook so I didn't manage to catch anything but damn it's fun seeing those buggers hammer a hopper. I'll be tying some more up tonight with a 2 or 4 hook.

I was using a green craft foam pattern about three-quarters of an inch long with brownish sili-legs.

[DaveC]

Would not mind seeing a picture of what you describe? You tie them yourself you said?

[Dogman]

No problem

It is just a foam crease fly that I tried to make look like a hopper. Not the best work I'm sure but I'm still learning.

[YakFisher]

No problem

It is just a foam crease fly that I tried to make look like a hopper. Not the best work I'm sure but I'm still learning.

I like it man. I'm going to tie one of those up right now. Thanks for the pic.

[Horrorshowrot]

Very nice. I used a grasshopper fly up north a few weeks back and hammered the smallies. Its awesome seeing the bass break the surface with your fly in its mouth. And I can gaurantee if you tie it yourself it makes you that more proud.

[Dogman]

So true Horrorshowrot. Got my first tonight. A couple people have asked how to tie this. So I'll try my best.

You need some 3mm craft foam. I got mine at Michael's. Sili-legs or other rubber-esque legs. #4 or 6 streamer hook.

Start by putting a good base thread wrap on the hook. Cut the foam a little longer than the hook and about twice as wide as you want the fly to be. Put a little super glue on the bottom of the foam and fold it over the hook shank. Press it tight and hold for a few seconds until it sets. Take 2 sili-legs and tie them in a knot at each end leaving about 1/2" out each end. Tie in the knotted legs on the back then single legs for the middle and front. Whip finish and color in eyes and stuff with a marker if you like. Trim the foam into shape with scissors and/or and emery board. I also put a little flexible adhesive to make it shiny.

[DaveC]

They look pretty good to me......looks like something that should work for sure. I tied a couple of flys just from my imagination that we took ice fishing with us. I gave one to my wife to put on her rod, because I had no confidence in it...LOL so I figured I would put it on her hook tipped with a minnow. She dropped that thing down the hole and not even 2 mins in she had a walleye....took it off, dropped it down again...bang another walleye. I started thinking this cant be....re-rigged dropped it down another minute or two Bang...a pike. I was thinking this cant be....this thing does not even look like anything.. Just some buck hair and some chenille wrapped over it in chartruse colour. ITs great to be able to catch something on something you invisioned and made yourself it was even worse watching her reel in fish after fish as my leadhead jig sat in the hole and never moved...LOL. That hopper looks really good though.....thanks for sharing how you made it.

[Icehut]

Nice fly! Topwater hits are 10x more fun than subsurface!

If hooking problems continue, reduce the extension of the body, and/or increase the gape of the hook. Could also go over to a finer wire, and bend it out a bit. It's easy to really decrease the gape with bodies like this, tapering towards the back may help; get the body atop the hook as much as possible. Special bass popper hooks have kinks in the shank to eliminate spinning, if that becomes a problem. Make 'em weedless with a couple strands of heavy monofilament for fewer snags.

[Dogman]

I agree I love top water. There is just something about seeing the take that makes it so much better. I went to a size 6 streamer hook and it seems much better. That one was tied on a 10 I think.