The Copper John is the most commonly used trout fly in the west these days. For a good reason, it’s a great attractor pattern and it works! The Copper John was developed by legendary fly tier John Barr. It can be tied in a wide variety of colors, making it very versatile. The most popular color is red, and it is a favorite as well. A red Copper John catches more fish on the Arkansas River than any other fly out there. It doesn’t really imitate a specific bug, but it does resemble a stonefly and mayfly very well. What makes the Copper John so effective is its profile. It just looks buggy! More favorite colors for the Copper John are: Copper, Chartreuse, Yellow and Black. Tie it the same way, just change the color of your wire!
Now let’s see what you can do. #avidmaxflytyers
Copper John Fly Tying Recipe:
Hook: #12-18 Daiichi 1710 or Tiemco 5262
Bead: Gold Cyclops Bead
Underbody: .010 or .015 Lead Wire
Thread: Black Veevus 12/0 or Veevus 14/0
Tail: Brown Goose Biots
Body: Copper Wire
Thorax: Peacock Herl
Casing: Black FINO Skin or Thin Skin
Casing2: Small Pearlescent Tinsel
Legs: Partridge
Glue: Epoxy or Thick Loon UV Fly Finish
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