classic Michigan dry fly · by 1952
Roberts' Deer Hair Hopper
Likely origin Only Deschaine's column (drawn from Roberts' family notes and his mounted display) describes this fly; other sources confirm Roberts but not the pattern.
History
Clarence Roberts, a Grayling game warden, began selling flies around 1949 and is best known for Roberts' Yellow Drake. Most of his own patterns date from the 1950s; he raised roosters for hackle and used hair from road-killed deer.
His hopper was on sale by 1952. It has a light green or yellow chenille body with a looped butt, a red quill tail, a deer-hair wing over the back and mixed brown and grizzly hackle.
Materials
| Hook | 2X-long (Mustad 94831 or 79580), sizes 8 to 10 |
|---|---|
| Thread | Black 6/0 |
| Tail | Red duck quill section |
| Egg sac | Chenille loop at the rear |
| Body | Light green chenille (also tied in yellow) |
| Wing | Deer hair laid down over the body |
| Hackle | Brown and grizzly, mixed |
Sources
- Deschaine, T. "Clarence Roberts: Au Sable River Tyer." Fly Anglers Online, July 30, 2012.
- "Showcasing the DNR: The game warden and the Yellow Drake." Michigan DNR bulletin.
- "The Other Fly-Tying Legend." Northern Express, November 16, 2025.
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No photo yet. Every photo on michfly is of a fly tied for the site, so they're added a few at a time.
Original recipe cards for many Michigan patterns are kept at the Michigan Dry Flies archive, built by the late Tom Deschaine.