How to Tie: LEFTYS KREH CLASSIC SMALLMOUTH POPPER

What You’ll Need
Hook
pencil popper hooks with pre-made Styrofoam heads
Thread
UTC Danvill 6/0 off white color
Body
pre-made foam glued down in-between the hook
TAIL
Squirrel tail (gray or natural)
I don’t know if you will be able to find this exact molding. They are kind of hard to find on the market, but another way you could tie this is with the pencil poppers. They have the pre-made styrofoam that comes together as a set. You can get away with coloring the foam any color you want. This is a very simple pattern that does not require any complicated steps. This pattern is an oldie but goodie. Probably one of Lefty Kreh’s first top water poppers.

[dnxtiep_ultimate_image_hover dnxtiep_uih_image=”https://flysandguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Leftys-Kreh-Classic-Popper-step-1-square.jpg” dnxtiep_uih_image_hover_effect=”effect-18″ dnxtiep_uih_bg_overlay=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” dnxtiep_uih_image_opacity=”1 ” _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default” hover_text_fonts_text_color=”#ffffff” hover_text_fonts_font_size=”36px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#ffffff” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.3)” title_text=”Leftys-Kreh-Classic-Popper-step-1-square” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dnxtiep_ultimate_image_hover]
Step 1
Get the thread started behind the body.
[dnxtiep_ultimate_image_hover dnxtiep_uih_image=”https://flysandguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Leftys-Kreh-Classic-Popper-step-2-square.jpg” dnxtiep_uih_image_hover_effect=”effect-18″ dnxtiep_uih_bg_overlay=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” dnxtiep_uih_image_opacity=”1 ” _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default” hover_text_fonts_text_color=”#ffffff” hover_text_fonts_font_size=”36px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#ffffff” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.3)” title_text=”Leftys-Kreh-Classic-Popper-step-2-square” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dnxtiep_ultimate_image_hover]
Step 2
Tie in the squirrel. The tail is fairly long so make sure you cut the hair as close to the hide as you can. Squirrel tail hair isn’t that long anyways. I like to cut mine closer to the tip of the tail. The bottom of the tail, the hair seems to be shorter.
[dnxtiep_ultimate_image_hover dnxtiep_uih_image=”https://flysandguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Leftys-Kreh-Classic-Popper-step-3-square.jpg” dnxtiep_uih_image_hover_effect=”effect-18″ dnxtiep_uih_bg_overlay=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” dnxtiep_uih_image_opacity=”1 ” _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default” hover_text_fonts_text_color=”#ffffff” hover_text_fonts_font_size=”36px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#ffffff” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.3)” title_text=”Leftys-Kreh-Classic-Popper-step-3-square” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/dnxtiep_ultimate_image_hover]
Step 3
That is pretty much it. Whip finish the fly and your done. Just make sure you tie in the hair to where it doesn’t slip out. Tie it in tight and make enough turns and it should be fine. Glue it with some gloss coat and your good to go.
NOTE
If you don’t have the pre-made hooks with the head then you will need to glue the Styrofoam style ones. Then you can paint the white with prismacolor markers to anything you want it to look like. Solid or patterns on it. Use your imagination. The skies the limit.