Non Copper John

Cheech - May 1, 2017

Ithink everyone on the planet has fished a Copper John before. Big thanks to John Barr from Colorado for coming up with this fly, and a great selection of other fish slayers. When I was just getting started I'd always have problems wrapping the wire for the Copper John because it never laid down perfectly and I was a savage with thread wraps. The solution to that was to use a very flat thread in order to put a flat surface down before wrapping the wire. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, but you can ditch the wire altogether. Tubing has become one of my very favorite materials due to the huge variety of things you can do with it. In this case, I just swapped wire for tubing and it's a hit! Tubing also comes in a wide variety of colors, so it's pretty easy to tie flies that match your local hatches. Obviously this is nothing original, I just swapped out one material for another and it seems to work out fine.

Happy Tying!

~Cheech

Material List
  • Hook: Daiichi 1530 - Heavy Wet Fly Hook - 12
  • Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier - Purple
  • Bead: Plummeting Tungsten Beads - Metallic Purple - 7/64" (2.8mm)
  • Tail: Nature's Spirit Turkey Biot Quills - Purple
  • Body: Body & Rib Tubing - Purple - Midge
  • Wing Case: Thin Skin - Black
  • Flash: Mirage Tinsel - Opal - Medium
  • Thorax: Ice Dub - UV Purple
  • Legs: Whiting Brahma Hen Saddle - Mottled Gray (Wildtype)
  • Resin: Loon UV Clear Fly Finish - Thick (1/2 oz)
Materials & Alternate Materials Listed Below
UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier
UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier

UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier

$2.49
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub
Ice Dub

Ice Dub

$3.50
Plummeting Tungsten Beads - Metallic Colors
Plummeting Tungsten Beads - Metallic Colors

Plummeting Tungsten Beads - Metallic Colors

$7.90
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing
Body & Rib Tubing

Body & Rib Tubing

$2.99
Nature's Spirit Turkey Biot Quills
Nature's Spirit Turkey Biot Quills
Nature's Spirit Turkey Biot Quills

Nature's Spirit Turkey Biot Quills

$2.99
Mirage Tinsel - Opal
Mirage Tinsel - Opal

Mirage Tinsel - Opal

$1.99
Thin Skin
Thin Skin
Thin Skin
Thin Skin
Thin Skin
Thin Skin

Thin Skin

$3.49
Loon UV Clear Fly Finish - Thick (1/2 oz)
Loon UV Clear Fly Finish - Thick (1/2 oz)

Loon UV Clear Fly Finish - Thick (1/2 oz)

$19.00
Daiichi 1530 - Heavy Wet Fly Hook
Daiichi 1530 - Heavy Wet Fly Hook

Daiichi 1530 - Heavy Wet Fly Hook

$6.99
Whiting Brahma Hen Saddle
Whiting Brahma Hen Saddle
Whiting Brahma Hen Saddle

Whiting Brahma Hen Saddle

$28.00