Come summertime, some of the most exciting fishing of the year starts, when clumsy grasshoppers take flight and trout take notice. The thump of a big grasshopper hitting the water is like a siren song to hungry fish, and they're typically gobbled up in seconds. The takes are reactive and aggressive, giving anglers a very visual style of fly fishing as trout explode on top-water foam.
Before we get to our favorites, let's quickly touch on the basics of what makes a great hopper pattern:
It should land hook-down, every time. If it's landing on its side — or worse, upside down — you're not going to find much success. This isn't going to happen on most professional-grade flies, but it's worth noting.
Profile is key. When a fish feeds on a hopper, it's generally reacting to the splash of the hopper hitting the water and a quick look at its profile. If the fishing is really good, profile might not matter as much — that's why a fly as basic as a Chubby stays effective. But as the season wears on, fish learn the error of their ways and might eye your fly, its movement, and its drift for a couple more seconds before committing. A realistic profile means a tapered abdomen, well-placed and sizable hind legs, a smaller mid-section, a distinguished head, and plenty of flutter in the legs. Some flies take it a step further with segmentation and added wing materials, but the most important thing to focus on is the proportions of the body and its silhouette from beneath.
Finally, a hopper should be "meaty" and float without issue. A clumsy hopper flying into the river doesn't land gracefully, and it's generally eaten long before it would ever drown. You also want to be able to tie on a dropper without impacting flotation, so you can capitalize on fish feeding on top and subsurface at the same time.
Some might say we don't need to go any further than the Morrish Hopper — easily one of the most effective terrestrial patterns ever created. The fly isn't overly complicated, but its profile is everything you're looking for in a good hopper. The foam abdomen was originally trimmed with a razor blade to give it its realistic shape, as well as the head. The knotted legs are realistic and perfectly placed. It doesn't have a wing, but a segment of orange foam tied on top of the body makes for easy tracking in faster currents or turbid conditions.
2. Henneberry Hopper
Kris Keller's Henneberry Hopper is one of the most realistic hoppers on the market and quickly became a local favorite here in Montana. The abdomen goes a step further than the Morrish Hopper — not only tapering down, but rounding the edges for a hyper-realistic cone shape. The markings give it a super natural appearance, making it one of our go-to hoppers all season, but especially when water levels are lower and trout have wised up.
The Thunder Thighs pattern has been around for a while and remains a staple. Its greatest strengths are its profile and the natural movement of its rubber legs. Between the foam and the big poly wing, you won't sink this pattern or lose sight of it in turbid water. Smaller sizes are a great option for picky fish or low-water conditions.
4. Juicy Hopper
RIO's Juicy Hopper has a nicely tapered abdomen, natural-looking appendages, and a pair of antennae that combine for a realistic profile underwater. It comes in several colors and a range of sizes, giving anglers plenty of options through terrestrial season. Larger sizes are great for making a sizable splash, while we like to size down as the season wears on and fish become more selective.
5. More or Less Hopper
The More or Less Hopper is proof that hoppers don't need to be overdone. Too often fly designers are looking to reinvent the wheel, but the More or Less sports a great profile, is highly durable, and floats like a cork. It also has a pair of life-like eyes that sells it to us anglers — and the fish, too.
6. Dave's Hopper
Created by the one and only Dave Whitlock, Dave's Hopper is an old-school pattern that has delivered for decades. It doesn't contain foam — instead relying on natural materials for buoyancy and profile. Knotted pheasant tail fibers form the legs, turkey quill forms a pair of wings, and the head is made of spun deer hair. If you prefer more natural flies, this is the hopper to reach for.
7. Sweetgrass Hopper
Designed by Doug McKnight, the Sweetgrass Hopper is a hyper-realistic and virtually unsinkable pattern. It floats high and is nearly impossible to lose track of, especially with its synthetic wing. This is a great option fished on its own, especially in bigger water, but it also holds most any dropper with ease.
8. Rainy's Grand Hopper
An older fly, Rainy's Grand Hopper has been a staple on U.S. West rivers for a long time, and it continues to deliver. It's not overly dressy, but it relies on the fundamentals of any good hopper pattern and was one of the first to utilize foam. The Grand Hopper also doubles as a mutant stonefly imitation on the Yellowstone and South Fork of the Snake, since it pushes water and "chugs" on the surface like a natural stone would.
Honorable Mention: The Chubby
We'd catch some flak if we didn't mention The Chubby — one of the most popular trout flies ever tied. It comes in a smorgasbord of colors and sizes, and can imitate a big hopper, stonefly, or even a beetle or ant in the micro sizes. Its big, oversized wing means it's never going missing on any river, and it can carry any heavy dropper you throw at it. Is it as dialed-in as some other hopper imitations? No — but it definitely catches fish.
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