Featured Fly - Packing Peanut Popper

This is a pattern that I found online somewhere, while looking up foam frog fly patterns. When I saw this guy I went right to the vise. I thought it looked awesome and while tying it, also realized it was fun to tie. Fishing it close to the bank just popping or skating works very well. We have dead drifted it through fast water and had fish pick it up that was too. While Fishing this guy up on the Lehigh River, one of my buddies looked at it in the water and said " damn that kinda looks like one of those packing peanuts. haha" and just like that, the crazy looking popper thing, got its name.

Materials

Hook: TMC 105 

Hook Shank: Any 3x long Streamer Hook sz. 8

Tail: Fly Enhancer Legs - Color of choice  

Body: Estaz - color of choice 

Foam Top: 2mm Fly Foam 

Legs: Fly Enhancer Legs - Color of choice

Eyes: Oval Pupil 3D Eyes 

Step 1: Tie in 8 strands of rubber legs.

Step 2: Tie in the Estaz.

Step 3: Wrap the Estaz forward, ending at the hook eye. Whip finish.

Step 4: Take a small piece of 30lb backing and thread throw the hook eye. Wrap over the backing securing it to the front hook.

Step 5: Glue 2 sheets of fly foam together, colors of your choice.

Step 6: Cut off the corners of the foam tapering it down, tie onto front hook to the start of the backing loop.

Step 7: Tie in the Estaz.

Step 8: Wrap Estaz to the front of the hook shank.

Step 9: Move your tying thread back about 1/3rd the distance of the hook shank, fold the foam over, making the fold just past the hook eye.

Step 10: Tie in 2 rubber legs, making 4 legs once tied down. Repeat on other side.

Step 11: Cut extra foam off. Whip finish over the foam.

Step 12: Dab a small bit of super glue on each side of foam. Stick eyes on and wait till they are dry.

Step 13:  Put a small dab of super glue over thread, and right behind hook eye. This helps keep the foam from sliding around.

Finished Fly

This Schuylkill River smallmouth crushed the Packing Peanut Popper right off the bank

This nice Lehigh River smallmouth fell to the Packing Peanut Popper while it was skating across the current.

This Red Eye crushed the Packing Peanut in the fast water.