Fly Tying: Smith’s Stonehopper

Ben’s Salmon Fly

Ben's Salmonfly
Hopefully there will be a little salmon/stonefly action on the Deschutes to put these boys to work…

This is a variation of the Mini-Hopper that seems to have taken on the identity of a salmonfly. I would love to know what you think and I believe I will need a name.

Material List:

– Size 10 Hopper Terrestrial Hook

– 6/0 Uni-Thread

– Dubbing (my personal favorite is the Hare-Tron Dubbing

– Goose Biots

– Ribbing – on several I used a copper wire, but a few got some haloshimmer tinsel instead

– Orange Antron for the underwing

– Deer Hair for the wing

– Silly legs

– 2mm Foam

– Something for the post – foam or in this case I had some white polypropylene handy

Step 1
Step 1

Wrap the thread back to the curve.

Step 2
Step 2

Add a little block of dubbing for a base.

Step 3
Step 3

Tie in biots.

Step 5
Step 4

Tie in wire. Wrap forward and tie in foam (roughly a quarter inch wide).

Step 5
Step 5

Dub body forward.

Step 6
Step 6

Wrap rib forward and secure antron underwing

Step 7
Step 7

Tie in deer hair wing.

Step 10
Step 10

Dub rest of body and secure foam.

Step 10
Step 10

Add legs. In my demo I did not add the post. I think the post will help the fly to be more visible and I believe that foam or poly-yarn will do the trick.

Final
I need a name…

If you tie some up, I would love to hear how they work for you. Thanks for looking.

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12 Responses to “Fly Tying: Smith’s Stonehopper”

    • azwanderings

      That’s the reaction I’m going for. If by some miracle I do end up catching the Salmonfly hatch, I think I’ll need to tie some bigger. Glad you approve.

      Ben

      Reply
  1. David G

    That copper rib and brown dubbing is a cool contrast on a dry and quite frankly, a great fly. *Thumbs up*!

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      Thanks David. I need some help from you and Mike on a name. “Ben’s Salmonfly” seems a little weak…

      Reply
      • David G

        That is a lot of weight on our shoulders! I’m not great at naming flies. hmmmm… Narcyssistic? Eh? Narcy from Pteronarcy and give the fly a mirror and it will eat itself? That’s all I got man. Most of my flies are like “chiro, V4, goose, ice, red/brown” or “elk caddis, V2, rust, summer/fall”

        Reply
        • azwanderings

          I know David. I’m asking alot of you guys. Narcissistic is going in the hat too. We’ll see what else I can come up with. Thanks for the help man.

          Ben

          Reply
  2. mr blur

    poly post is good idea. I grab a calftail wing haired dry as often as anything else.

    why?

    because I can see it.

    you’ve got a trude-ish or trude-y wing.

    “trudi’s stone”

    w/ a nod to the charlie daniels band “trudi.”

    cool simple and quick fly. because it’s simple and quick it qualifies as a guide fly.

    I’d like to see some black and maybe just mebbe a touch or two of orange in the body. I’ve done as well with bigass orange stimis w/ grizz hackle as I have with foam.

    I’ve said enough.

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      Glad you give it a nod of approval Mike. I am thinking about adding some more orange and black too. I think you are on to something. Trudi’s stone is going in the hat. We’ll see what I end up with. I guess I should probably fish it first to see if it works. Thanks again.

      Ben

      Reply
  3. Stephania Andrade

    This is a great tutorial. Let me know how they work out for you!

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      Thanks Stephanie. I appreciate the kind words. I hope they work too…

      Ben

      Reply
    • azwanderings

      Thanks Matt. I dig that name to. I could get used to that…

      Ben

      Reply

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