Tying 'The Chernobyl Hopper'

By Hugh McDowell

Provided courtesy of Fish & Game New Zealand magazine

Materials

1. HOOKS: Mustad 9672, Tiemco 5263 or Kamasan B830, sizes 4, 6, or 8
2. BODY: 5mm strips of yellow and tan close-cell foam, 1mm strips of red and white close-cell foam.
3. LEGS: Speckled yellow rubber (if you can't get anything except white, use yellow and black felt tip pens to stain it).

Cut each of the 5mm wide strips of foam half as long as the hook shank and trim corners.		Bind hook shank with thread, tie in yellow foam strip, leaving 5mm protruding over the eye, and spiral thread over top of remaining strip, binding it to the shank. Stop short of the bend.
Tie in tan strip on top.		Tie in 10mm of red foam by the middle to create a 5mm legged V pointing fore and aft.
Tie in 45mm strand of rubber by the middle on each side of the hook opposite the apex of the red V, then wind thread back up over the yellow strip only.		Lay tan strip over the top and tie in, add white V and legs as before.
Hold protruding pieces back out of the way while you whip finish and cement.		The finished Chernobyl Hopper.