Ed Shenk's Letort Hopper was designed for the demanding limestone spring creeks of Pennsylvania where flat water and selective fish demand a low-profile, realistic imitation. It sits lower in the film than foam-bodied hoppers and fools educated fish.
1. Thread base — Attach yellow thread behind the eye and build a base to the bend.
2. Body hackle prep — Tie in a ginger hackle by the tip at the bend.
3. Body — Dub a full, slightly rough sulfur yellow body from the bend to the 2/3 point.
4. Palmer hackle — Wind the ginger hackle forward over the body in open spirals. Tie off and trim. Clip the hackle close on top and bottom — leave just the side fibers as legs.
5. Underwing — Tie in a sparse bunch of yellow deer hair flat over the body, extending to the bend.
6. Wing — Tie in a matched pair of mottled turkey wing quill sections in a low, tent-style over the underwing. Sections should extend to the hook bend.
7. Head — Spin a small clump of deer body hair just behind the eye and clip flat to form a muddler-style head. Whip finish and apply head cement.
