FLYMPH FORUM

Vern-O, here is the technique that I use on the tubing and mini legs.


Its the Large Waspi Hollow tubing. Here is what I do... It depends on the pattern but this is a size 6 and I first cut the tubing at 3/4 of an inch. The Tarantula Legs are the Mini Legs. Once you cut the tubing get a piece of fine wire and run it through one end. Make sure you cut at least 4 inches of the wire. Once you've ran it through take the other half of the wire where you started and run the other end through the tubing as well. Now you should have a loop through the Hollow tubing. Now pull the wire together so you have a small loop. Insert the rubber leg and with the wire pull it through the tubing. Keep pulling it until you have enough for the other end. When I'm happy with the desired amount just get your scissors and cut the rubber leg loop that you created when you pulled it through. Now just attach it to your pattern and Kaboom!!! You now have a bad *** hopper.


Hope this decription helps Vern-O!!

Sorry to be a bad influence, Mark... You can delete this post if you want.

Awesome hopper pattern, VERN-O! Great color scheme.

LOL.............I'm sorry Ray. I'll throw some Brahma Hen on the next pattern for good measure.

LOL!!!

I am guilty as well, been playing around and tweaking this particular hopper pattern for about a year and this is the latest iteration... Nice patterns all, they are all stellar! Can't wait for some hopper floppn' this summer. It was really good out my way this past year, one of the best hopper seasons we have had in a few years. Hope this time around it will be good too. Just so everyone doesn't feel too bad, I do like to drop a softy off a hopper. Fun times.

Scott - Terrific pattern. Have you posted a step-by-step for you hopper pattern anywheres on the web? I would really like to give your pattern a try. It looks like a terrific pattern for fishing as a hopper-dropper (soft hackle) combination.

Pat - Thanks for the description of how you make the legs. I will give it a try in the future.

Mark - You may want to move this post to the Fishing Cabin section, since it is off-focus for tying wingless wets. Maybe we should start our own "Hoppers Anonymous" self help group.

Thanks Ray. I haven't posted a step-by-step yet. This pattern has actually changed quite a bit from it's original form. So I haven't been comfortable with it yet until recently so a step by step hasn't happened yet. With it raining cat's and dogs our here today, maybe I will work on one and get it posted for you. I was planning on tying up a bunch of these today anyway.

Ray,

Step by step can be found here
http://www.utahflypatterns.com/index/?p=598

Man, that was a great step-by-step video Scott! Very professional.

Big terrstrial patterns yeh! Great fun to tie!

I quite like the Turck's Turantula for a big hopper/cicada type terristrial pattern:



Or something big and foamy like:

The Fat Albert


Gurgulator



Pat, those legs:

Doug Swisher sells a product similar to those legs. http://www.dougswisher.com (WARNING: a lot of you will regard this as a site for heathens!! Lots of rubber and synthetics....) But like you have done, they are easily made.

Here's one of his flies made with the legs...