Masshopper Smitherman

"The MassHopper came to fruition after a summer of fishing hoppers and having them sink or fall apart after a while. I wanted a hopper that was rock-solid, would float all day, and have a more realistic profile.

The tapered abdomen on the MassHopper is what really sets this pattern apart from others. The foam is glued together to essentially make it one piece of solid, shaped foam. So unlike other extended body hoppers, there isn’t any thread that can break and unravel part of the fly. I’ve also glued both pieces of foam to the hook and each other. This keeps the fly securely in place and unable to twist around the hook. The deer hair wing gives the fly a great profile and natural look while also aiding in keeping it floating upright on every cast.

Because the MassHopper is made of so much foam, it can carry a larger than normal amount of weight. Although my original thoughts in the design were not focused on putting a dropper underneath, it has become one of my favorite attributes of this fly."

- Signature Tyer Josh Smitherman