For many fly fishers, summertime is terrestrial season, so here are three great patterns that will catch fish—trout or warmwater species—that are looking up for land-based insects. We kick thing off with a cool hopper pattern from Matt O’Neal of Savage Flies, which starts with gluing together sheets of inexpensive craft foam. (Please heed the warnings about glue fumes.) Once you’ve got the body cut, the tying process is ridiculously simple. Next up is a classic beetle pattern from McFly Angler that will work great on its own or as a front fly with a smaller ant pattern as a dropper. Finally, Davie McPhail demonstrates how to tie a very cool, buggy pattern that could represent either a beet or an ant. The foam cylinders he uses have lots of applications for other dry patterns, as well.
Craft Foam Psycho Hopper
Hook: 3X-long curved-shank hook (here an J. Stockard 430), sizes 6-10.
Thread: Black, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Body: Two pieces of 1.5mm WalMart craft foam glued together with E6000 Clear Adhesive.
Wing: Squirrel tail hairs.
Hackle: Brown or furnace.
Legs: Brown round rubber legs.
Head: Tying thread.
Tools: River Road Creations foam body cutters.
Note: Tie this in any color combinations of foam, hackle, and legs you like.
Foam Beetle
Hook: Barbless nymph hook (here a Risen 9214), size 14.
Thread: Black, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Body/head: Black EVA foam, 2mm.
Underbody: Olive brown or peacock UV2 Diamond Brite Dubbing.
Legs: Lemon grey EP Trigger Point Fibers.
Hot Spot: Yellow Razor Foam.
Collar: Olive brown or peacock UV2 Diamond Brite Dubbing.
Adhesive: Solarez Ultra Thin UV Resin.
Tools: Dubbing brush.
Note: Tie this in any color combinations of foam, dubbing, and legs you like.
Popper Hopper Beetle
Hook: 3X-short nymph hook (here a Fulling Mill 1505), size 10.
Thread: Black, 8/0 or 70-denier.
Tag/Rib: Pearl UNI-Mylar, #14.
Body: Black and Orange Ant Body Hard Cylinder, 3mm.
Underbody: Deep Merlot Voodoo Streamer Dub.
Adhestive #1: Head cement.
Legs: Pre knotted Pheasant Tail Fibers.
Hackle: Dyed-black Indian cock.
Head: Tying thread.
Adhesive #2: Head cement.
Tools: Dubbing brush.
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