GFA Hopper
The GFA Hopper is a foam attractor pattern derived from the General Foam Attractor style of flies. While the original pattern has uncertain origins within modern foam fly development, I adapted the design specifically for panfish. By refining proportions, hook selection, and materials, the GFA Hopper became one of my most reliable searching patterns for bluegill and other sunfish.
The GFA (general foam attractor) Hopper is foam terrestrial pattern that imitates hoppers, crickets (when tied in black) and other large land-based insects. The fly is unique in that is has a segmented foam underbody, which creates a durable high floating pattern
GFA Hopper cricket edition
Materials List:
Hook: Natural Bend Panfish Hook (size 8 or 10)
Body: 2mm Foam
Underwing: Semperflash
Wing: Deer or elk hair
Legs: Round barred round rubber
Tying Tip: Cut the foam strips as wide as the hook gap of the hook you are using. Although you can easily round the corners of the foam with scissors I use a rounded end Chernobyl Ant foam cutter from River Road Creations to create perfect bodies.
These high-quality, natural bend hooks are perfect for many panfish patterns. These are the hooks I use in many of my fly patterns, like the Mop Dragon, the Brim Killer, the Panfish Wiggler, just to name a few. They also work well for topwater patterns like hoppers, stimulators, and foam bugs. They also make a great stonefly nymph hook. I even use them for small streamers. The micro-barb makes it easy to convert to a barbless hook with a simple squeeze of a pair of small pliers or forceps.
Hook Specifications:
Premium hook made of HC80 high-carbon steel
Chemically sharpened to a perfect concentric point (punctures and holds instead of slicing and tearing)
York Bend, Straight Eye,
Long, slightly humped shank
1x heavy wire
Micro-barb
Made in Japan
25 Hooks Per Package
SemperFlash Mixes are comprised of multi-colored strands of mylar which have been crimped to give the material texture and volume. Each strand contains alternating sections in 2 to 4 different colors, depending on the mix selected. The collective effect of the material's movement in water is a kaleidoscope of those colors. This material can be used alone or in blends with solid-colored SemperFlash products, Krinkle Solid in particular.
The strands are bound into a hank at one end, providing a 10-inch length of usable material - no cinching in the middle with a cable tie, which would render that part of the strand unusable.
300 strands per package.
This 2mm Foam is a very durable, high floating, condensed closed-cell foam that works great for all types of foam patterns. This is the foam used for our famous Triangle Bugs and it is available wide range of colors.. The 2mm thickness is perfect for creating all of your favorite panfish sized foam fly patterns or layer it for larger flies. This material can be easily cut by hand and works well with commercially made foam cutters.
Each package contains two 4.5” x 6” sheets
This blond bleached elk hair enhances visibility in rough water and low light conditions. For uses requiring the physical qualities of elk but lighter color.
Easy to work with
Light color enhances visibility
Bleached elk has the same great qualities as natural elk hair
Easier to see in low light
Highest quality hair
Bleached natural color hair
Barred Medium Round Rubber perfect for legs on streamers, nymphs, and terrestrials. They come sheet style, stuck together in a row, making knotting legs , measuring and other such things extremely easy.
Available in single colors or in an assortment pack