Foam ideas?

[mrl0004]

I am very new to tying. I started maybe 2 months agp. I haven't branched out much from foam, except for cranking out some clousers. I have tied stealth bombers, hoppers, and one bugs. I have so much foam that I am trying to come up with some way to utilize it without tying the same few patterns over and over. I realize I could "google it," and I have, but thought you guys might know some.

Here is what I have been tying:
Sam's One Bug (invented by a friend's dad) - great for bass and panfish

Redeye bass like it...

Shellcracker like it...

I have hooked some 4lb smallmouth on this pattern, but never had the pleasure of bringing them to hand.

Now I have started tying hoppers....

Haven't fished them yet.

On the docket is: neversink caddis, damselflies, todd's wiggle minnow, gurglers and beetles

Have I overlooked anything, or anything you guys can recommend? I mainly fish for trout and smallmouth bass.

 

[darwin]

Looks like your doing OK. There is a blog with a few foam hopper tutorials. Fly Tying Tutorials « Hopper Fishing Blog

 

[theboz]

That hopper is awesome looking! Try some foam ants or foam beetles . Theres a great foam frog pattern Joni posted around here somewhere. Try some foam bass patterns. Look back at some of the old posts on the fly forum there is a bunch. Should keep you busy!

 

[mudbug]

[ame="http://youtu.be/jUsun4LCDpw"]Bluegill Candy Hopper[/ame]

Mini Hopper

Tweaked Henry's Fork Hopper

 

[jpbfly]

Your hopper is outstanding:worthy:have a look here:http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/f...0-jps-flies-step-step-beginners-5.html....the The Batistou Special is far easier to tie and less beautiful than your patternsbut you should tie some and let me know if it works for you

 

[fishingfly]

That foam bug looks similar to a gurgler and the hopper is incredible. Don't limit yourself to foam, looks like you are ready for anything. That being said, I tied a nice slider from foam sheets, put it on the forums here: http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/share-patterns/289636-medusa-slider.html

 

[bigjim5589]

Not anything new, but I like the Chernobyl & Triple Decker style foam flies. The TD is a bit more involved, but from the look of your hopper you can handle it I'm sure! :thmbup:

 

[jaybo41]

That hopper is just beautiful! Nice work on that one. As others have said, ants. Foam Crickets as well. Tie them smaller than your hopper and with rubber legs to keep it simple.

I like Davie McPhail's ant pattern. All of his videos are highly recommended. I've learned so much and been able to develop ideas just by watching him.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK1Csc8aHpU]Tying a Large Parachute Black Ant (DryFly) with Davie McPhail. - YouTube[/ame]

 

[mrl0004]

Thanks for the kind words guys. I am really kind of enjoying foam right now, I guess that's why I haven't tried to step outside of it yet. Kind of like I still like my training wheels!

Hoppers are fun to tie and fish, and it's hopper season right now, so I am going to be tying A LOT more of them. I am waiting on some new legs I ordered to get here. I got some of the barred tan legs. I think that might add a nicer look to the hoppers that I have tied. I am trying to come up with a better wing thatn just deer body hair. I am thinking polypropylene yarn?

 

[BigCliff]

Most people think of Crease Flies as being giant things you throw at roosters and such, but I have good luck on them in size 6 on a 3XL hook.

Or even on a size 8 dry fly hook-

You can also make a foam diver that works like a little Dahlberg but ties up much quicker and won't get water logged-

There's bendback poppers-

Floating tails for furled chenille worms-

 

[mrl0004]

Those look good Cliff. thanks!

 

[fishingfly]

That bendback popper is amazing :worthy:. Through all of my central Florida bass fishing I haven't seen one quite like that, I will be tying that asap.

 

[BigCliff]

The cupped popper face is actually a pearl sequin shoved on over the hook eye, after you've put the foam head on. The foam head and back side of the sequin needs a light coat of epoxy or something similar to keep the sequin in place. Googly eyes add more flotation than the stick on solid domed type.

You'll also want to make sure you have the 3mm foam for the head. The 2mm would only work for size 6 or smaller.

 

[JoJer]

I've had some fun cutting long acute triangles of foam, tying the small end in at the rear of the hook, then wrapping the foam around the hook. It makes a segmented body that can be very defined with a loose wrap or smoothed out with a tight wrap. I use this for stimulator bodies and heads. You can accentuate the segments with fine hackle, peacock herl or wire. You can tie legs to the hook shank and bring them out between the foam wraps anywhere you want.

 

[flyfisher117]

Tied any Charlie Boy Hoppers? Super simple but trout seem to love them!

 

[oarfish]

Your doing great, I would suggest that you pick up a copy of Tying Foam Flies by Skip Morris well worth the 17 bones.

Rick