I may be new to fly fishing but even when bait fishing, using hoppers to catch trout is a must during hopper season. Most anglers go the larger hoppers when fishing but more often than not the small hoppers match the naturals more closely.
One of the best benefits of having a highly portable fishing kayak is that I can launch dang near from anywhere and can skim over the shallows to the high grass lines. I’ve seen large trout in shallow patchy weed areas that boats simply can’t get into. I know someone out there is thinking, well – there are weedless hooks you can cast over the weed patches. I have tried several brands of weedless hooks and they may work with bass who strike so violently but I’ve never caught a trout with a weedless hook. If you want to use hoppers during the season, you got to get in the water and towards the high weed or grass lines.
Hoppers Trigger Strikes
Look for high grass along the bank or shore where hoppers would naturally be moving among. Hoppers aren’t great fliers so it is easy for them to get knocked off course with a gust of wind and end up in the water. Trout have learned this and are usually in the hunt in those areas waiting for an easy meal.
Take advantage of these areas but also don’t feel wrong to be fishing further out from the shore or bank as the current would have taken hoppers out deeper from where they had fallen into the water up stream.
Check out some of the hoppers shown here on this site. If you haven’t ever explored the use of artificial hoppers with bait fishing reels or a fly rod, have a several color patters available and watch the trout go to town.
Fishing Hoppers meant for fly fishing
When using a bait fishing rod to trigger trout strikes with an artificial hopper, use a small water bobber partially filled to get some distance. Use a light line like a 4lb test and keep around 2 feet of leader between the bobber and the hopper tie on. Cast it out along the grass line and let the hopper sit for a few seconds. Be patient! After waiting a few long seconds, start to retrieve slowly and sporadically giving off the impression of a hopper trying to make it’s way in the water.