Patterns

Grasshopper patterns fortunately are both easy to tie and extremely durable. As with other imitations certain requirements must be met in order to ensure consistent success. Size, shape, colour and function are the four critical factors.

The size of most local hoppers is around a #10. Early season in late November and early December the immature hoppers can be seen throughout the district and these are #12-14. We also see the yellow winged or locust hopper a little later, usually after consistently hot weather and these huge insect's are a # 4-6. These grasshoppers can be of importance when they happen to go in on extremely windy days and something of this size should be carried for those special times. But by and large they are good fliers and seldom find their way onto the water. When they do though the fishing can be first class with the biggest fish in the river materialising from the depths to take from the top. These big hoppers are not as important in the over all scheme of things when compared with the more common, smaller variety. These hoppers (about a #10 - 12) are absolutely prolific and fishing a fly this size there is always a chance of raising a big brown. 

Grasshoppers are a very bulky item and have a definitive shape. They have a large profile from both below and from the side requiring materials, which can be used to create a similar looking imitation. Hoppers also have a very bulky, blunt  head, which also needs imitating. This is why so many imitations of them use chenille and deer hair in their construction. The chenille is a bulky material and absorbs water. So it gives the required profile as well as sinking into the film of the water just like the real thing. Coupled with a deer hair head, which is trimmed, to accurately represent the real insect and give it just the correct amount of floatation. These two materials present the perfect combination for tying hopper patterns.

Thirdly there is colour. Despite the fact that hopper feeders can sometimes be caught by anything big splashed down in front of them, colour is important when imitating these insects. The controversy over what trout actually see will be with us always (I hope) but suffice to say that yellow and orange are the secret ingredients. A little or a lot of yellow for the body is a very important aspect of most hopper patterns. Add some orange in the form of pheasant tippets for the legs, some natural coloured deer hair and you will have as good a hopper pattern as you can find or will need.

Another important aspect of choosing or tying a hopper pattern is in the choosing of the materials. Choosing materials so that the fly itself helps with the presentation. Heavy hooks, heavy materials tied in with the required bulk. All these factors enable the imitation to be presented in the correct manner and that is with a ‘SPLAT’. This is possibly the most important part of the equation in fooling a trout with a hopper pattern. Its not only the visual aspect of this landing that provokes a response but also the pulse in the water created by the 'PLOP' of the arriving hopper alerts the fish to its presence. Also part of this is using deer hair which is extremely buoyant to float the fly but on the other hand using heavy hooks and chenille to make it sit low on the water.  

Using the above criteria it is hard to look past the ever faithful Knobby Hopper. Many fly tiers continually try to reinvent the wheel and this is a very necessary and enjoyable aspect of the craft of which I am guilty also. But when all is said and done I would pick the Knobby Hopper above all comers without a shadow of a doubt. Variations of this theme with different colour combinations are successful and matching the hatch is the way to go but I wouldn't feel ill equipped having only a handful of #10 Knobby Hoppers tied with yellow chenille body and pheasant tippets for legs. One recent development locally is the success of the Chernobyl Ant (see photo on right). It is a very useful attractor and could represent just about any terrestrial from spiders to hoppers to cicadas. This pattern is indestructible and will take fish at hopper time although it has to be said not as successfully as the Knobby Hopper. Keep Reading.