BOPPER HOPPER

The Bopper Hopper is my entry into the world of the Chernobyl Ant and was developed after having a friend of mine Jude Duran (talented fly tier and guide on the San Juan) showed me a technique of presenting a large ant/hopper style pattern to a fish who had just taken a Blue Winged Olive off the surface. We would cast directly at the rise form created by the trout taking the mayfly, the result was a reaction take of the trout. I designed a pattern that I later called Tak's Bopper Hopper after my Daughter Haley. She was born the year the Hale Bop Comet was visible at night; I'd often take her out to see the comet although she was just a baby. I gave her the nickname of "Bop" and thus wanted to name a fly after her. My goal was to create a flush high floating pattern that could be easily seen. The body is constructed using 2mm craft foam in any color pattern desired. I use a midge saddle hackle for the underbody, white zelon for the under wing, good quality deer hair for the wing and a hackle for a collar. I added spanflex mottled legs to give addition movement of the fly. I originally tied the foam bodies using more natural colors of foam but experimenting with brighter colors such as pink, purple, orange and lime green have proven to be every effective. I have found success fishing this pattern in foam colors different from those found in the market. This pattern has been very successful as a hopper/ dropper combination; I usually use my Go2 Caddis or Prince nymph as the dropper.