Steve Phillips
Pampa, Texas
Although I have hunted and fished since I was 8 yrs old, I only took up fly
fishing 4 yrs ago and started tying flies about the same time.
My wife, Kathryn, and I often vacationed in northern New Mexico and I thought I'd give fly fishing a try. I bought a 5 wt rod and put new line on her
grandfather's Martin automatic fly reel. I went for it and got lucky by catching a few fish.
These balsa bugs came about when I realized I could only fish for trout 10 or 12 days a year. Kathryn has also been an outdoors person all her life and
would rather go camping than stay in a 4 star hotel.
Select One of Steve's Flies:
Green Poppers (Instructions)
Yellow Poppers (Instructions)
Miscellaneous
Poppers
Be
sure to visit our on-line store at http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html
Tier: Steve Phillips
Select One of Steve's
Flies: Green Poppers
(Instructions)
Yellow Poppers
(Instructions)
Return
to Steve's Introduction.
Tier: Steve Phillips
Select One of Steve's
Flies: Green Poppers
(Instructions)
Yellow Poppers
(Instructions)
Return to Steve's
Introduction.
Tier: Steve Phillips
Instructions: These poppers are made on Mustad #33903 hooks. Step
3: Sand with emery boards after the glue is dry. You could also carve them to a rough shape first, and then
sand, but I don't think it's any quicker. Step
4: After sanding into shape I apply a coat of paint, then spray with clear acrylic, then another coat of paint,
and glue the eyes on. This is also when I add any contrasting colors of paint or
marksalot. After that, just add coats
of clear acrylic spray until they are glossy enough to suit you. Step
5: When dry tie in the tails. I use red thread because I think it might add some attractor factor to them but
who knows? Select One of Steve's
Flies: Green Poppers
(Instructions)
Yellow Poppers
(Instructions)
Return
to Steve's Introduction.
Tier: Steve Phillips
Instructions: These poppers are made on Mustad #33903 hooks. Step
3: Sand with emery boards after the glue is dry. You could also carve them to a rough shape first, and then
sand, but I don't think it's any quicker. Step
4: After sanding into shape I apply a coat of paint, then spray with clear acrylic, then another coat of paint,
and glue the eyes on. This is also when I add any contrasting colors of paint or
marksalot. After that, just add coats
of clear acrylic spray until they are glossy enough to suit you. Step
5: When dry tie in the tails. I use red thread because I think it might add some attractor factor to them but
who knows? Select One of Steve's
Flies: Green Poppers
(Instructions)
Yellow Poppers
(Instructions)
Return
to Steve's Introduction.
Tier: Steve Phillips
Select One of Steve's
Flies: Green Poppers
(Instructions)
Yellow Poppers
(Instructions)
Return
to Steve's Introduction.
Tier: Steve Phillips Pencil Poppers
Other Poppers
Select One of Steve's
Flies: Green Poppers
(Instructions)
Yellow Poppers
(Instructions)
Return
to Steve's Introduction.
Be
sure to visit our on-line store at http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html
for your tying needs.
Hook: Dry Fly 16-24.
Thread: Black.
Tail: Red or grizzly hackle barbs.
Body: Black floss or tying thread ribbed with white moose mane.
Wings: Grizzly hen tips.
Hackle: Grizzly.
Head: Black thread.
Hook: Streamer 3x to 6x.
Thread: Olive
Tail: Red hackle barbs.
Body: Green floss ribbed with silver tinsel.
Wing: Gray sqirrel dyed olive.
Head: Black thread.
Note: This is a good fly to use for crappie in warm water. 
Hook: Mustad #33903
kink shanked.
Body: Hand shaped balsa painted with acrylic paint with several coats of
clear acrylic spray.
Tails: Two pairs of green grizzly feathers.
Hackle: Black with red thread or rubber legs.
Note: Vary recipe to suit your taste.
Step 1: Select a piece of square balsa that is hook gap size and cut it into lengths from eye to just past the hook
point. Slot it lengthwise for the hook with an x-acto saw.
Step
2: Wrap a hook with thread to hook bend and back (neatness doesn't count here) and coat it with a super glue
gel. Apply glue to the slot in the body and mount the body on the hook. Be careful to maintain a good hook gap. If
the glue doesn't completely fill the slot in the bug body and the body, and hook shank seem secure, force a little
plastic wood into the slot. It takes paint better than glue. I make several up to this point.
Hook:
Mustad #33903 Kink Shanked.
Body: Hand shaped balsa painted with acrylic paint with several
coats of clear acrylic spray.
Tails: Marabou feathers.
Hackle: Yellow grizzly.
Note: Vary the recipe to suite your taste.
Step 1: Select a piece of square balsa that is hook gap size and cut it into lengths from eye to just past the hook
point. Slot it lengthwise for the hook with an x-acto saw.
Step
2: Wrap a hook with thread to hook bend and back (neatness doesn't count here) and coat it with a super glue
gel. Apply glue to the slot in the body and mount the body on the hook. Be careful to maintain a good hook gap.
If the glue doesn't completely fill the slot in the bug body and the body, and hook shank seem secure, force a little
plastic wood into the slot. It takes paint better than glue. I make several up to this point.
Hook: Dry Fly #12 to #20.
Thread: Match dubbing color.
Body: Color to match natural.
Wing: Partridge - stuck on packing tape and trimmed to shape with a few hackle barbs under.
Hackle: Complement body color.
Head: Dubbing slightly darker than body.
for your tying needs.