Step 1

Mount a hook in the vise.

Step 2

Cover the shank with thread and build up a little "bump" just above the barb.

Step 3

Stack a little bunch of elk hair for tail and tie it in immediately in front of the thread bump. This will spread the hairs at the same time as it will serve as a little egg sack.

Step 4

Spread the surplus around the hook while you tie it down along the hook shank. Stop at the point where the thorax will start.

Step 5

Cut the waste with angled cuts so that it won't result in a sharp edge when you cover the hair butts.

Step 6

Cover the butts and tie in a piece of thin wire. Wrap the thread back to the tail.

Step 7

Dub the thread with a dubbing of choice. Take it easy with the dubbing. With the underbody we already have, it's easy to go too far.

Step 8

Make a slim body with the dubbed thread.

Step 9

Tie in a brown rooster hackle.

Step 10

Palmer the hackle backwards.

Step 11

Tie down hackle using the wire. Spiral wrap the wire up the body through the hackle and wiggle it from side to side to avoid tying down too many hackle barbs.

Step 12

Tie off the wire in front of the abdomen.

Step 13

Stack and clean a clump of elk hair for the wing. The tips should reach back to half the tail. Tie it down right in front of the abdomen and let the hair butts spread around the hook. This will secure them better.

Step 14

Cut the waste and cover the butts with the thread.

Step 15

Tie in a grizzly rooster hackle by the wing base.

Step 16

Dub the thread, again carefully, with a dubbing of choice.

Step 17

Wrap the dubbing up to the hook eye.

Step 18

Spiral wrap the hackle over the dubbing and tie it down in front of it. Cut the waste.

Step 19

Make a whip-finish, cut the thread and...

Done...

... there you have it. An extremely popular fly, which can represent both hoppers, stoneflies and caddises.