Instructions: Joe's Hopper

Tying Instructions: Joe's Hopper




	1. Wrap lead-free wire around the shank starting about two eyelengths from the eye and ending over the point of the hook.
	2. Secure the wire wraps with thread wraps and an application of superglue.
	3. Clip some fibers from a red hackle and try to keep the tips even with minimal handling. The length of the tail should be about the same as the hook gap.
	4. Attach a brown hackle that has been clipped to about one half the hook gap by the tip at the base of the tail. Also attach a piece of yellow yarn and secure it to the top of the shank from the base of the tail to the 3/4 position on the shank. Bring the thread back to the tail tie-in position
	5. Twist the yarn tightly and than relax the yarn allowing it to twist upon itself. Find the proper length by putting a bobkin on the yarn where you wish to have the extended body. The extension should be about one half the tail length. Secure the extension with tight thread wraps.
	6. Twist the yarn once more and wrap towards the eye stopping just beyond the 3/4 position. Clip off the butt end and secure with thread wraps.
	7. Palmer the brown hackle around the yarn, tie off and trim.
	8. Tie in the turkey tail wings to the sides of the body. Clip the side hackles so the the wings can position themselve closely to the body. The wings should have a slight upward curve to the tips when you tie them in and should not extend much beyond the tail.
	9. Tie in the brown hackle by the tip, choosing a hackle that is slightly webbier than you would normally use. Prepare the hackle first by rubbing the barbules in a planar axis.
	10. Wrap the hackle forward carefully without overlapping any of the barbules. Secure with thread wraps and trim off the butt. Whip finish for the head.