How to Tie a Deer Hair Popper (Stack, Pack & Trim Like a Pro)

Today we're tying one of the most iconic warmwater flies ever created—the deer hair popper. If you've ever wanted to learn how to tie deer hair flies but felt intimidated by the process, you're not alone. Deer hair poppers have a reputation for being one of the more challenging flies to tie, largely because of the stacking, packing, and trimming required to achieve the final shape. In this tutorial, I'll walk you through the entire process step-by-step, including: • Building the tail and foundation • Selecting and preparing deer hair • Flaring the hair properly • Stacking deer hair for the body • Packing the hair tightly • Trimming and shaping the head • Creating a clean, flat popper face • A few experiments to see if there's a faster way to achieve the flat popper face While deer hair poppers can certainly test your patience, they're also some of the most rewarding flies you'll ever tie. No two ever come out exactly alike. Each one develops its own personality as you trim and shape the hair, making every finished fly feel a little bit like a custom piece of artwork that you can actually take fishing. Whether you're tying your first deer hair popper or looking to improve your existing techniques, I hope this video helps build your confidence and makes the process a little more approachable. 📌 Links I recommend _____________ Check out Veevus for some of the best fly tying threads available. When you sign up for their VIP membership using my link, you’ll get a free bobbin holder plus 10% off your entire order: https://veevus.com/pages/membership?v... Check out my sponsor Risen Fly for high-quality hooks, beads, and some of the best fly rods I’ve ever used. Use code McFly at checkout for 15% off your first order: www.risenfly.com Shop my custom McFly Angler fly boxes and gear here: www.amazon.com/shops/McFlyAngler If you enjoyed this video, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more fly tying tutorials, and fly fishing content. 🎣 _____________ 🛠️ Materials ______________ Hooks: Risen O'Shaughnessy (size 2) - https://www.risenfly.com/collections/... Standard Thread: Veevus 6/0 (olive) - https://veevus.com/pages/membership?v... GSP Thread: Veevus GSP 100 (white) - https://veevus.com/pages/membership?v... Tail: Chickabou (olive) - https://www.jsflyfishing.com/products... Flash: Crystal Flash (chartreuse) - https://amzn.to/4ei2HIB Dubbing: Antron Dubbing (olive) - https://amzn.to/4ga1ipP Feather Legs: Whiting American Cape (olive) - https://amzn.to/4vv0Tmq Resin: Solarez Ultra Thin - https://solarez.com/bone-dry-intro-ki... Tail Legs: Hogfish (Forest Blaze) - https://www.jsflyfishing.com/products... Collar: Schlappen (olive) - https://amzn.to/49Jq8ck Deer Hair: Natures Spirit Spinning Deer Hair (yellow, frog green) - https://www.jsflyfishing.com/products... Black Deer Hair: Belly Hair (black) - https://www.jsflyfishing.com/products... 1st Glue: Liquid Fusion - https://amzn.to/4xhqKQf 2nd Glue: Solarez Flex - https://solarez.com/fly-tie-flex-form... Eyes: Fish Skull Living Eyes (Wind, 3mm) - https://amzn.to/4xfyWR4 🛠️ Tools ______________ Vise: Renzetti Traveler - https://amzn.to/2t2FFmo Bobbin: Veevus Bobbin - https://veevus.com/pages/membership?v... Razor Blades: https://amzn.to/4xinzYE Scissors: Risen Spring Assist - https://www.risenfly.com/collections/... Whip Finisher: Dr. Slick Brass - https://amzn.to/2tGYwDW Fly Tying Bench: Oasis Walnut Compact Bench - https://www.oasisbenches.com/oasis-be... UV Light: Solarez High Output - https://solarez.com/uv-cure-flashligh... 🌐▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Follow Me on Social! ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Facebook:   / mcflytier   Instagram:   / mcflyangler   Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@mcfly.angler 00:00 Intro 00:38 Hook selection 00:59 Starting thread 01:51 Marabou tail 02:14 Crystal flash and dubbing 02:45 Feather legs 03:39 Sili legs and collar 04:42 Switch thread 05:06 Deer hair 10:18 Whip finish trick 11:13 Trimming the deer hair 13:04 Flatten the face 15:00 Adding eyes 15:39 Sili legs 16:19 Fly discussion 17:42 Resin experiment 19:56 Past and future flies 20:35 My fly boxes 21:00 Discounts for you! 21:30 Now you go catch some fish #FlyTying #DeerHairPopper #BassFly #FlyFishing #WarmwaterFlyFishing