As with the previous beetle post, this is a snip from the July ’09 E-List mailing. I promised the E-List that I would add some info here on the blog (on fly tying, specifically). The tying part is coming up next. Actually, this is post 5 of 6 (each terrestrial subject has two parts). One post on tying a Bow-Leg Hopper is forthcoming.

- – - – - – - – - -

Terrestrial fishing can run the gamut from miniscule ants, to plump beetles, to grasshoppers big enough to have both light meat and dark. These insects can create opportunistic and selective feeding among trout, and can sometimes bring very large fish to the surface at the zenith of the day. With that in mind, let’s continue our discussion with a look at grasshoppers.

Grasshoppers: “Hopper-time” can be magic. It can reward the angler with the largest of dry-fly caught trout (outside of mouse fishing, perhaps). It can reward mistakes in both casting and presentation. And it can cause adrenaline to get the better of you!

One of the most exciting presentation methods for hoppers (and many other terrestrials) is to cast the fly onto bank-side grasses and then pull it off into the water with a soft “plop.” If you’re a beginning caster this can be a great thing! Just get the hopper onto the other bank and tug it back into the water.

Of course, there is more to hopper fishing than just that. There are times when you need to be quite accurate and restrained, especially when dealing with big fish in the shallows. During those times, you may only get one cast at a fish, so make it count. Don’t slam the fly in, don’t line the fish, and don’t retrieve your hopper like you are trying to imitate a spastic otter, popping and jerking the fly wildly across the surface! Make your cast, maybe give the fly a twitch, and let it be.

The same goes for fishing in stillwaters, where the temptation to overdo things can get the better of even seasoned anglers. In deep ponds and lakes, you may wish to splat the fly in fairly hard and give a twitch or two, but then back off and let the fish have a chance to actually get to the fly. If you feel that you need to provide more attractive action, using something like an irregular hand-twist retrieve can help to keep the fly from moving too rapidly.

From a pragmatic fly perspective, I will go to patterns like the Bow-Leg Hopper, which has a compact, bullet-head design coupled with a “real-enough” body and wing. I also like some of the newer foam-based hoppers that have great floatation, profile and durability. As with the other terrestrials discussed in this series of posts, it can pay to look into localized color variations before heading out with hoppers. If I know that I’ll be fishing hopper country, I will carry usually generalized colors (tans and yellows, most often), but doing some color (and size) research ahead of time is always a good idea.

Up next…Tying a Bow-Leg Hopper.