Bodkin / Patterns

Beefcake Hopper

Terrestrial · Trout · Advanced · 2 versions

As tied by Bob Reece

  • Hook Orvis 1638 dry fly, 6
  • Thread Brown or tan 6/0

Materials

  • Adhesive Zap-A-Gap
  • Rear legs Medium brown rubber legs and medium tan barred rubber legs, knotted
  • Antennae Mini tan barred rubber legs
  • Front legs Medium tan barred rubber legs, double knotted
  • Body (top) 2 mm tan foam
  • Body (bottom) 2 mm Loco tan foam
  • Indicator Orange Loco foam, 1/8 in wide strip
  • Wing Brown Thin Skin
  • Eyes (optional) Sharpie

How to tie it

  1. Debarb the hook and slide the bottom Loco foam piece onto it, hook point first, about half an inch in from the tail end.
  2. Attach the thread and put a thin layer of Zap-A-Gap along the top of the shank.
  3. Tie a small scrap of foam, about an eighth of an inch wide, behind the eye with loose first wraps, then tighten to build a thin tapered underbody.
  4. Wrap the thread back over the foam base and secure it above the hook bend, squeezing the foam as you tighten.
  5. Add Zap-A-Gap to the top of the bottom piece, bring in the 2 mm tan triangle of foam and secure with four to five wraps.
  6. Move forward about an eighth of an inch at a time, wrapping over both pieces to build three segments.
  7. Tie in the brown thin skin wing, its back end snipped for a splayed look, and secure it again at the next segment.
  8. Tie in the rear legs, brown and tan barred rubber legs knotted together, one pair each side, extending about an eighth of an inch past the body.
  9. Bring the front of the legs inside onto the foam-covered shank, secure and trim, and build the wider chest segment.
  10. Taper the foam head by snipping the top and bottom.
  11. Tie in the mini tan barred legs as antennae, put a drop of Zap-A-Gap behind them and set the orange Loco foam indicator on top, over the antennae.
  12. Trim the indicator and antennae short, about an inch.
  13. Tie in the double-knotted tan barred rubber legs as front legs in the same way as the rear legs, half hitch and cut the thread.
  14. Coat the thread on the front two segments and up to the leg tie-ins with Zap-A-Gap.
  15. Optionally mark eye spots on each side of the head with a Sharpie.

Other versions

1 more in the app: Extended body, as tied by Bob Reece.

Tying videos

← All fly patterns