GFA Hopper Pattern for MT Trip

[flyfishermann1955]

Growing up back East, I don't have much experience fishing hoppers. Sure, we had hoppers, but they lived in the fields and most of my trout fishing was in more wooded settings. This General Foam Attractor (GFA) Hopper pattern looked good to me. We're headed to MT the day after Labor Day for a 2-week trip. Hoping we won't be too late for some hopper/dropper action. I'm tying up a small version (size 12) and a large version (size eight) in green, brown, tan, and yellow.





For a video with tying instructions, look here:

https://www.tu.org/blog/hopper-season/? ... &_zl=r48B2

Tight Lines- Ken

[snorider]

That will work! I use a similar hopper regularity. And you should still be seeing a hopper bite unless it freezes in Aug, which is not unheard of. Two things that I have found that make this type of fly more effective are olive lazer dubbing on the hook to give it some flash, and a white marabou feather underwing to give it motion. Hope you enjoy your trip!

[fishbum]

This works well fro me.
viewtopic.php?f=73&t=130433

[creakycane]

I usually like to have a high-floating version and a lower-profile one that are close in size to whatever I am kicking up on the bank. Sitmulators can work fine, and I like to have a few parachute hoppers. Splat them good along the bank, and hold on.

[narcodog]

In the last 11 years I have found that Schroeder's hopper also called a tan hopper. I tye them in 8-12.

[john8]

I have had success with hoppers in Montana through mid To late September, as noted the best hopper fishing is probably mid to late Summer. The only comment I would say on your flies is on the green one I would try to use an olive colored foam. I don’t have that much experience with all the variety of hoppers but I found the green ones were more like an olive colored than a bright green.

[Caneghost]

My own hopper pattern got a lot of testing and rave reviews from friends who took them to Montana back when I had my fly shop. I updated it last summer using razor foam for the underwing rather then the original gunmetal gray flash material. The body is Kreinik metallic braid which gives it a little bulk, a little weight to plop down just right, and some more subtle attractor flash. Try some if you like, they are easy to tie and durable.

The big browns in the Cumberland Valley limestoners loved them.

[Loogie]

Make sure you have a dozen chubby Chernobyl that fly is superb and a great representation of hoppers, ants etc, the fish just gobble that thing regularly.

You'll need it with a purple belly...

[snorider]

Purple? that always has mystified me. Seems popular with the tourists but I have not had much luck with that color. My daughter picked purple cherynobyl hoppers out of the rack at the fly shop, but they still sit in my fly box. Purple haze, purple rain, purple hoppers... All the naturals are green! The best color I have found for the bottom is a light olive green foam with some olive flash. The stuff I use was actually part of a toy my kids had as infants. I stole the apples and with the dozen I have I'm set for life. I like black foam for the back, olive for the belly and green rubber legs. The marabou! is a game changer that little bit of motion causes fish to grab em!

[PYochim]

Ken, that dog will hunt.

[PYochim]

Ken, that dog will hunt.

[Webfly]

It's good to see that the hoppers are back out there in the last few years. They should be pretty large by September, so I would tie more big ones than small.

Call us tourists since we don't live there, but purple Chernobyl's have caught me many fish in the last few years.

[snorider]

Oh I am not calling anyone here a tourist but the purple flies literally fly off the shelves at every fly shop and out door shop in MT. I think the color is more of a human attractant . I’m sure they work, but in my experience light olive hopers just work better. Cheers

[Loogie]

My Yellowstone partner, fishes purple belly Chubby Chernobyl almost exclusively during hopper season. It brings big fish to the surface, we call it the “Dirty Purple”. The darn fly works, ugly as it is.

[flyfishermann1955]

Loogie,

Is just the dubbing on your Chubby Chernobyl purple or is the foam purple too? If it's just the dubbing, what color is the foam? I would love to see a picture if you're not too busy cleaning up tree damage from the storm.

Thanks- Ken

[bear-kodiak]

The green hopper worked like a charm last week in Wyoming.....Jim

[Webfly]

Generally just the dubbing.

[Loogie]

Here is the Chubby Chernobyl, guaranteed success!

[flyfishermann1955]

Dave,

I appreciate the photos. I have some black foam; purple dubbing and wing material are on my shopping list. I will add these to the hopper box and look forward to offering them to MT trout--especially since they come with a guarentee of success! I hope the storm damage cleanup went smoothly.

Thanks- Ken

[Loogie]

Clean up went well, thanks for asking! BTW go to JS Fly Fishing and order the River Road Creations foam cutters for Chernobyl flies, makes the process super easy and you can tie all kinds of big bugs with that foam cutter. Enjoy!