Tying the Gunpowder Hopper (and how it came to be)

[@theodoretschannen6794]

I'm big on that being able to see it. It does get harder with age. 👍

[@billh4802]

Well I know what I'm doing tonight. Thanks for another great video Matt.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Bill! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@MyItalians]

Good morning Matt. Sometimes simple is better. Great story. I love to hunt for insects to match for the catch. It's my way to keep challenging myself at the table. Have a blessed day.

[@SavageFlies]

Absolutely Nich! I've been seeing one brown and black caterpillar I've been thinking of trying to make an imitation of. Not sure if these things ever fall into the water but you never know. :-)

[@MyItalians]

@@SavageFlies Matt. Just got home from my son's wedding. We fish Northern CA and used white and tan caterpillars. They work great. Bunch them off rocks into the water or under trees that hang over water edges. Have a great week.

[@johnsamothrakis4621]

Hi Matt . Great Fly and Even a Greater Story, can only imagine you looking for Grasshoppers, 👍😂

[@SavageFlies]

Ha! And I didn't even have a bug net with me. I was just flailing around until I could snag some. :-)

[@toddslichter7831]

Great back story Matt. Cool pattern. Thanks for sharing.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Todd! Appreciate it my friend. :-)

[@jimholland1592]

LOL, I was thinking you were about to put a real hopper on 🤣🤣🤣 Good morning Matt☕️☕️ I got a new hopper pattern, that was the River Road Creations cutters. I enjoy using them keeps me consistent🤪 Thanks see you soon have a safe day👍

[@SavageFlies]

Ha! Don't think I haven't been so desperate that I wanted to put some live bait at the end of my fly rod. :-) And yep, this was one of the River Road Creations cutter sets. I got the Beavertail body cutter as it looked to me like the most generic hopper body. I got the set of all three which was probably overkill as the size 2-4 is huge and I'll never tie a hopper that big! www.jsflyfishing.com/river-road-beavertail-body-cutter

[@jimholland1592]

@@SavageFlies I have gotten that desperate🤣🤣🤣🤪

[@jimholland1592]

@@SavageFlies kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipy2oGVojZlrl9U 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jeffjackson5331]

Very cool

[@joshludlow1431]

Gonna have to try this one out..thanks matt

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Josh! Appreciate it my friend. :-)

[@bigdaddy99929]

Way to go Matt!! Nice fly and proven!! Have a great weekend.

[@SavageFlies]

Appreciate it Clyde! Hope you had a great weekend too. :-)

[@jasonsfishingagain312]

I'll have to try this. I love simplicity.

[@FlyTyer1948]

4 minutes to tie, starting when you flattened the barb. Wow, that is a fast & simple tie! Marvelous! Great fly story& a fly pattern that demands we tie a bunch of these. Well done, Matt!

[@SavageFlies]

Appreciate it Bob! It's funny how this evolved too. I got the crazy idea that I could tie one that looked almost like the real insects here in Maryland. No such luck! So then I went the opposite way and said I'm just going to make it as simple as possible, and hope I can at least get the length and thinness of it replicated.

[@FlyTyer1948]

I’m about to tie a batch of these for Healing Waters & rewatched your video to get ready. It didn’t occur to me on first watching, but why add the tail? Your photo of the hopper did appear to have a tail, but it is the only hopper I’ve ever seen in real life or photographs. Maybe the fish see it as a thinner part of the body?

[@epsieblaine7968]

It is about hopper time.We have a green hopper here,1 inch long.I can see this pattern working here.Great job Matt.

[@SavageFlies]

Absolutely Ken! These hoppers around here are barely an inch long too. That's why I pretty much only tie this on a size 10.

[@jamesvatter5729]

Thanks for sharing, Matt. I have to believe that's how the majority of new fly patterns come into existence. Apply your imagination and just give it a shot.

[@SavageFlies]

I'll bet you're right Jim! I'm always amazed at the subtle differences that can make a difference sometimes. You just never know what might do the trick. :-)

[@leemowers9395]

Nice simple hopper pattern, I tie one in several colors and sizes (trout, panfish, bass). Just a simple pattern, the thread gives it segmentation anyway. Black is a color I don’t see used much in the terrestrial patterns that I see online, but one I tie. I owned an old wooden popper at one time, that I used on my spinning rod, that would get vicious strikes from big bass. Thanks Matt for the story and the entertaining video. My first trout this May was on a foam ant that I was using to drag my nymph downstream. Drift-less Iowa stocked Rainbow. The Browns were playing on the Bead-head Prince, Hare’s-Ear, Pheasant-Tail.

[@SavageFlies]

Great comment Lee! Foam ant patterns are amazing. And a hopper like this one tied in black, and maybe a little thicker might make a decent cricket. I don't fish many crickets, since any time they're out the hoppers usually are too. :-)

[@edwardchavez5627]

Good Morning Sir Matt, Yes Sir it's that time of the year. I really love this simply pattern I'll have to try that real soon. thank you and have a Great rest of your weekend Matt.

[@SavageFlies]

Appreciate it Edward! Hope you had a nice weekend too. My prayers are still with you my friend.

[@karljones6594]

Good morning Matt. Great hopper pattern this morning. Will be tying some of these for the box. Thanks for sharing this one. Have a great weekend and stay safe my friend.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Karl! Appreciate it my friend. :-)

[@markcampbell2192]

I’ve found that simple is best on the Gunpowder. There is NO WAY this won’t catch fish there. I’ll be trying it this week. Keep you posted. Hope you’re well my friend.

[@SavageFlies]

Excellent! I haven't been to the GP since March maybe. Let me know what kind of terrestrials you see in the bushes. Probably lots of black ants but hopefully these hoppers will be out soon. :-)

[@markcampbell2192]

@@SavageFlies I’ve been catching them on black ants for a few weeks now. Saw a couple of hoppers and a dragonfly or two on WED. Won’t be long.

[@randymorris8740]

Cool! An original Matt fly... One tip I would like to pass along to the good viewers if I may is to make a small fly tying kit for your car or truck... Doesn't have to be fully stocked like your bench, just some basics so you can tie a fly or ten in the field... Many times I found myself on the rivers and the fish were keying in on something I didn't have, so I sloshed back to the car and tied a few of the targeted flies and it saved the day...

[@SavageFlies]

Yes! Great tip Randy. I do the same thing. I don't think I had to break it out streamside any last year, but I did pull it out when I was bored one night in a hotel and wanted to just play around. Maybe I should do a video on how to outfit a travel kit. :-)

[@mikeney5113]

Nice looking pattern. Easy and quick to tie gotta like that.the simple ones do best for me most times.thanks Matt.

[@SavageFlies]

Absolutely Mike! My boxes are filled with simple patterns. :-)

[@edpeter9411]

Great looking hopper and an even better story! Going to try my hand at these as soon as I get back to my tying bench.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Ed! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@garrettswoodworx1873]

Thanks Matt! Interesting tie, great story! Definitely going on the to-do list. Hope you're having a great weekend.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Garrett! I appreciate the note my friend. Uneventful weekend here but hope you had a good one too!

[@edwardmlotkiewicz2343]

Great story. I used to fish the Gunpowder when I lived in Maryland. Did well with dries up through mid-May. Never had much luck with hoppers early autumn. I should have known about this pattern then. Thanks for the history and another great fly.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Ed! I've actually had a good bit of luck with grasshoppers and ants on the Gunpowder. There is even a red ant I'll see some days.

[@tonygarrett601]

Looks good you could fill box with these real quick. I think l will use a shorter hook and tie it in black or brown to imitate a cricket

[@SavageFlies]

Oh yeah Tony, this style would certainly make a passable cricket. Thanks for the note my friend!

[@martyrothman3933]

Thanks Matt thanks for keeping me busy for another day :-)

[@SavageFlies]

Ha! You got it Marty. Hope you’re having a great weekend my friend. 👍

[@joehawk9839]

Matt you promised this one ,and you delivered.i am sitting here watching your videos and they are helping me stay strong.As I have mentioned to you before my father is not doing so well health wise.He is slowly talking a turn for the worst.I have never witnessed a stronger individual with a will to fight than my father.I am trying to be strong and be the support my mother needs.please keep my father and my family in your prayers.Thanks again for your channel it helps me keep my mind off things somewhat through this difficult time.

[@SavageFlies]

Joe- I'm so sorry to hear that. Thank you for the kind words though and I will definitely keep your father in my prayers. Stay strong my friend.

[@jimgollach6202]

Love it Matt, sometimes that's what I say, let's go crazy and have fun with a different pattern, you never know till you give it a try. The fish may surprise you. Thanks for sharing 👍.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Jim! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@montyhunter2260]

Thanks Matt, I sure appreciate your devotion to these videos, helps alot of people out.

[@SavageFlies]

Thank you Monty. I appreciate these kind words my friend. :-)

[@crowdaddy8355]

Talk about easy. I think you have a real winner. I know what I’m tying today. Thanks so much Matt.

[@SavageFlies]

Appreciate it Chad! Let me know how it does for you. 👍

[@chevyguy6510]

I love it Matt! "Necessity is the mother of invention" This one will be in my box my next trip out. Take care

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Todd! Appreciate it my friend. :-)

[@tompeterson559]

How often have you said there's not a whole lot of information about who tied a fly or when it came about. Your Gunpowder Hopper has the history neatly laid out. And it's a great looking, easy-to-tie pattern - and you verified that it works! Congratulations and thank you for telling us the origin story!

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Tom; I appreciate these kind words my friend. :-)

[@joeduca8582]

Awesome! I've never seen an ovipositor like that on a grasshopper. 😲 You nailed it with the biot, and the realistic tie was very impressive, 🥳 kudos! Too bad it didn't impress the fish 😒 🦗That ovipositor must've been a trigger, good thing you kept it on the simple foam tie. Perserverance paid off with a k.i.s.s. tie 😉👍 Good tip on studying the bugs where they "lie", to find out what to use or tie. Hey that rhymes :o) Congrats Matt, great lesson! 🤓👌Stay safe, and watch out for the latest bug - monkeypox🙊It never seems to end...😥Take care buddy.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Joe! You know, I never actually fished the one or two semi-realistic ones I tried. The body was a green rabbit but I cut some clear body stretch into about 1/8" strips and wrapped that around the dubbing to give it a little segmentation. And it kind of made the body waterproof, but it was also kind of compacted it and making it too dense to be a good floater. And when I did the water bowl test, it just kind of sat there on the surface, but barely. Anyway, this foam one with only 2mm foam floats just well enough. If I toss it in a fast riffle the current might drag it under a couple of inches for a bit but it'll come back up at the end of the run. Which is what I envision a real grasshopper might do. As for the ovipositor, I suppose that is just on the egg-laying females. But I never thought they would be so pronounced as the ones on these hoppers. Anyway, thanks for the note!

[@davehall2160]

Cool looking hopper Matt Easy and quick to tie up Thanks for sharing this pattern and thanks for the video

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Dave! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@kenb4685]

Love your stories with the flies. Great pattern Matt.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Ken! I always appreciate you watching my friend. 👍

[@asaandrews3372]

Awesome hopper! What vice do you use?

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Asa! It's a Regal Revolution.

[@asaandrews3372]

Sweet thanks for getting back with me

[@jeffreystone7327]

Amen to the white indicator. I know exactly what you are saying there. Nice Hopper Sir. Looks fun to tie. No doubt that it will catch fish. Right now we have Bluegill just going crazy on anything on top of the water. But it has to be a bit smaller. May try this on just a bit smaller hook at the moment. Thanks for a great video. Have an awesome weekend. We are looking at a cooler week ahead of us. Down to 39 tonight.

[@SavageFlies]

Appreciate it Jeff! This thing in a size 10 is only about a one inch long grasshopper so I’m sure plenty of bluegill would chase it. But a 12 would be just fine too. 😁 Go for it my friend!

[@TheHillcityhobo]

Nice and simple..I love that. Thanks Matt 🤘🏻

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Jeremy! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@bandito85fx]

From Baltimore, you had me hook at Gunpowder. I’ve floated, fished, and walked it from Hartford Road to the bay. Lol. You got the only monster fish in that whole creek. Kidding ✌️

[@SavageFlies]

Ha! You're not kidding though. My standard GP brown is about 8-9 inches. Once a year (if I'm on the water often enough) I might get a 14-incher. :-)

[@bandito85fx]

As a kid my Grandfather would take me fishing for gudgeons on the gunpowder. I had a bamboo bank pole light mono line and the smallest hooks I can remember. The banks were lined with fishermen. Good times.

[@johnnylightning1491]

Another nice simple fly Matt. Where did you get those pre-cut hopper bodies. I seem to recall you mentioning something in one of your other videos but I'm getting old and forgetful. Keep the the good stuff coming buddy.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Dave. These cutters are from River Road Creations - their Beavertail Body mold. It's kind of the most generic hopper-looking one they have. www.jsflyfishing.com/river-road-beavertail-body-cutter

[@scottnock5241]

Great story Matt!! Been looking for a simple hopper pattern, I will let you know if it gives me as much luck this summer I will see if the PA fish like it…. Thanks

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Scott! Appreciate it my friend. I'll bet a lot of the hoppers in PA are close to the same ones here in MD. These little guys are barely over an inch long.

[@patrickcanty4166]

That’s a super-looking pattern, Matt. I’m going to tie up some of those and target bluegills with them. Bet they’ll do just the trick. As always, thanks for sharing and love your channel!

[@SavageFlies]

Well thank you Patrick! I appreciate the kind words my friend. And good luck with them. :-)

[@jackreeves3001]

Fun to follow Matt! Thanks for sharing your time! KANSAS

[@SavageFlies]

Appreciate it Jack!

[@Stonefly222]

Always excellent presentations, your enthusiasm is refreshing!

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@diecastrejuvenation7779]

Very cool, easy fly there! We're coming up on our hopper season real soon, and I'll definitely try a couple different color patterns of this. Thank you Matt!

[@SavageFlies]

Absolutely Troy! And I love hopper season around here!

[@joutdoorsmen23]

Cool fly Matt, Ill try it, where did you get the pattern cutter i like!!!!!!

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks! It was this thing right here: www.jsflyfishing.com/river-road-beavertail-body-cutter

[@joutdoorsmen23]

@@SavageFlies thanks ill be ordering me one!

[@Graham-1888]

You yanks and your foam 😂 that's a juicy looking fly Matt and you can see why the fish like it so much. Its a fly we really don't use over here and I don't know why, when I'm out fishing you hear and see them on the banks so I'm guessing a few end up in the water. I might have to give your pattern a try and see how it does 😉

[@SavageFlies]

Hahaha! We do love our modern materials over here. I’m kind of mixed though. I love the old classics, both yours and ours… but I like a cheap and easy fly like this one where I don’t cry too much when I break one off in a tree. 🤣

[@scottmilner3801]

I go on a camping trip 2 or 3 times during spring and summer on an old fishery 16 ponds on 111 acres!! Grasshopper fly will do very well on the largemouth bass there!! Thanks again Matt I’m gonna tie a few of these up right now!!! Plus I have all the same Materials!! Although where do you get your cutout tools I have to hand cut right now and it’s ok but would be much faster with the right tool?

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Scott! I wouldn't say the tool makes it a lot faster, but does make your bodies more consistent. This set was by River Road Creations and I use the basic Beavertail version: www.jsflyfishing.com/river-road-beavertail-body-cutter

[@scottmilner3801]

@@SavageFlies Awesome thank you!!

[@docandry77]

Great pattern there, Matt, that would probably work on the warm-water sunfish we target down here too. I'm always looking for new patterns for my club to tie.

[@SavageFlies]

Outstanding Doc! I'd love to see some pictures of what your folks come up with. :-)

[@Jd-yc3gw]

Good morning Matt. Enjoying my morning ☕️ watching some elk wander by our campsite while watching your video. Might have to watch twice (the elk have been entertaining). Cool background to your fly. Who knows maybe some future fly tier will be telling your story as you have told of others. I’m going to pay closer attention to the hoppers around here once they get thawed out. You made me realize that you don’t need fancy just functional. Curious though, what did you use to cut the body? Take care Matt. Hope you have an enjoyable weekend. You going to the farm?

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks John- great comment! That would be cool to see some KZbin fly tier in 2050 telling the story about some old dude who came up with a simple hopper pattern way back in the 2020s. :-) No trip to the farm this weekend, but we've got a 3-day weekend coming up (Memorial Day here) and I'll be heading out next Friday about noon. This cutter is by River Road Creations. I like them okay, but unless you're tying dozens of the same pattern they don't save me a lot of time. I guess they do help you keep consistent, but for the last two years, I tied this hopper with a plain rectangle of foam, and just snipped the tail to somewhat of a point. River Road does have a lot of different dies but I liked this Beavertail Body one best. www.jsflyfishing.com/river-road-beavertail-body-cutter (In summary, it's kind of cool, but I don't necessarily recommend this to a lot of folks.)

[@DB-iu8yl]

Nice simple effective pattern.

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks DB! I appreciate the note my friend. :-)

[@mountainclimber579]

Great story!!! I’ll try

[@oldsmugglerflyfishing]

Cool crossover between a hopper and a chernobyl ant!

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks! I appreciate you watching my friend. 👍

[@cg73]

Cool pattern I’m going to try it out here in the west

[@SavageFlies]

Awesome! I’d love to hear how it works for you. 👍

[@bdickinson6751]

I believe we sometimes tend to get too cerebral and overthink the simplicity of it all. No need to overcomplicate things that don't need to be. With a little observation and thought the simplest solution is usually the best. Of course, there are exceptions to that rule as well. Nice simple tie. Thanks and God bless. 👍🇺🇸

[@SavageFlies]

I hear you and agree on both parts! Joe’s Hopper is a bear to tie but man, sometimes that works when nothing else will. 😁

[@rsos8541]

nice pattern thank you going to try make a few.

[@SavageFlies]

You’re welcome John! Thanks for watching my friend. 👍

[@richarddavis8272]

Looks great

[@SavageFlies]

Appreciate it Richard! Thanks for watching my friend. 👍

[@larrybraswell7167]

Matt, Great pattern. What was the cutter that you used to cut the foam pattern?

[@SavageFlies]

Thanks Larry! This was the River Road Creations - Beavertail Body Cutter. www.jsflyfishing.com/river-road-beavertail-body-cutter

[@larrybraswell7167]

@@SavageFlies Thank you

[@coreyjohnson2418]

Hope it is ok - gotta copy this-great job

[@SavageFlies]

Of course Corey! That’s why I make videos. 👍

[@glentew953]

Thank you for sharing your creation Matt. I need to do the same, get out and actually look at what the fish are keying on and try to put my own spin to it. I’m just wondering what you used for the template for the body if you don’t mind sharing. I’d like to add some of those to my box. Cheers my friend!

[@SavageFlies]

You’re most welcome Glen! I appreciate you watching my friend. I’m not at my computer right now but search “cutter” at J. Stockard and you’ll see a bunch of these dies. This one is called the beavertail. They do save you a little time but mainly help me keep sizes consistent.

[@eric9245]

Hey Matt just wondering how wide of a strip of foam you use to tie these.

[@SavageFlies]

Hey Eric- I think these end up being slightly less than a hook gap. I actually used a cutter for these. It was the Beavertail one from River Road Creations. www.jsflyfishing.com/river-road-beavertail-body-cutter

[@rocks_are_cool]

Would you mind tying a South African fly know as muishound?

[@SavageFlies]

I've never heard of this until this comment Steyl. But I just looked it up and this may be something I can try. I'll have to order a couple of materials but I'll put it on my to-do list. Thanks for the note!

[@joshuaneal4125]

What wax are you using?

[@SavageFlies]

Hareline touch dubbing wax.

[@gabrielfusaru1211]

thanks in advance for canceling the introductory blah-blah for the future video!

[@jameswallace5830]

Realistic work better as a nymph