Fly Tying Inventory
Henry's Fork Hopper
Mike Lawson created the Henry's Fork Hopper in the 1970s for fishing the Henry's Fork, and it has since worked on many other streams and on lakes. It takes both coldwater and warmwater fish. Lawson tied it entirely with elk hair. Many tyers now use deer hair or a mix of the two, as this one does. This version has a reversed elk hair body, a yellow elk hair wing, a stiffened speckled hen overwing and a bullet head with no legs, though rubber legs are often added. Tie it in sizes 4 to 12.
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Materials
Mustad 9672 3XL Streamer hook (also sold as R74), sizes 4-12
4-12
UTC Ultra Thread 140 Denier, yellow
Yellow · 140 denier
Elk rump hair, reversed over the shank to form the body
Elk hair, yellow
Yellow
Speckled hen feather, brown, for the overwing
Brown
Flexament, to stiffen the hen feather
Elk hair, natural, for the bullet head and collar (or deer hair)
Natural
How to Tie the Henry's Fork Hopper
- 1
Step 1
Start the yellow thread and lay a base along the shank.
- 2
Step 2
Clean and stack a bunch of elk rump hair. Tie it in behind the eye with the tips pointing forward past the eye, binding the butts down along the shank.
- 3
Step 3
Add more stacked bunches as needed so the hair surrounds the shank evenly.
- 4
Step 4
Fold the hair back over the shank toward the bend, using a narrow tube to push it back evenly, and bind it down at the bend.
Sliding a tube over the eye folds all the fibers back together so the body comes out smooth and round.
- 5
Step 5
Wrap the thread forward over the hair in open turns to the front of the body, then trim the hair tips behind the bend to a short fringe.
- 6
Step 6
Stack a bunch of yellow elk hair and tie it on top at the front of the body with the tips reaching back over the body. Trim the butts.
- 7
Step 7
Coat a brown speckled hen feather with Flexament, let it dry, and trim it to a rounded wing shape.
- 8
Step 8
Tie the stiffened hen feather flat over the elk hair wing and trim the stem.
- 9
Step 9
Stack a bunch of natural elk hair and tie it in at the front with the tips pointing forward over the eye, spreading it around the shank.
- 10
Step 10
Fold the hair back toward the bend to form a bullet head and bind it down behind the head, leaving the tips flaring back as a collar.
- 11
Step 11
Trim any stray collar fibers, then whip finish behind the head and cut the thread.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ons3gBwXSho
Credit: Dressed Irons