HOPPER BASICS BY JOHN BERRY

I ran into Tom Emerick the other day and he asked if I ever fished with grasshopper flies (hoppers). I remarked that I had not fished hoppers since the day before. I went on to say that I fish them often, just about every time I go fishing especially this time of year. He asked if I would present a program, to the North Arkansas Fly Fishers (our local fly fishing club), at their August meeting. I agreed to do so.

Now is the perfect time to do a program, on them, because we are well into hopper season. Grasshoppers are not aquatic insects but are terrestrials. That is they live on land. They become a major food source because they are plentiful this time of the year and they tend to fall into the water. Once there, they are helpless and are a tempting morsel for hungry trout. Their struggles can trigger a vicious strike. Since they are a large insect, they are a favorite of large fish. While the late summer is hopper season, I have found that hoppers can work any time of year. This year I caught a nice eighteen inch rainbow in February. 

Because of their size you will need a stout rod in a five or six weight. A six is probably better but I generally find myself fishing a five on most days and it seems to get the job done. When you are fishing a heavier fly, like this, you will need to fish a shorter heavier leader than you would for most dry flies. Where I use a twelve foot 5x leader when fishing sulphurs or caddis, for hoppers I use a seven and a half foot 4X leader. The shorter heavier leader allows me to easily turn over the heavier fly.

My fly selection is pretty simple. I carry Dave’s hoppers and western pink ladies. The western pink lady is my favorite. It is a western style foam fly that is nearly indestructible and has a bright orange quick sight spot on the back. It is easy to see, floats like a cork and does not require any floatant. I reserve the Dave’s hopper for picky fish. It is a realistic fly that is a dead on imitation, of the insect. It is pretty durable but is a bit harder to see and requires a liberal application of fly floatant.

The best time to fish hoppers is on a windy day, when they are likely to get blown into the water. The best day I ever had was one windy day, when I was fishing beside a hay field, when the farmer was cutting the hay. Dozens of hoppers were blown into the river and the trout were keying in on them. I hooked fish after fish for well over an hour. It was incredible. The best place to fish them is fairly near the bank where they are likely to land.

Hoppers land with a plop, when they are blown into the water. So your cast should cause them, to land them the same way. This is not the time, for a delicate presentation. Since they tend to struggle in the water, an occasional twitch will sometimes trigger a strike. I generally find that the trout will take them as soon as they hit the water.

To increase my hook ups, I always add a dropper. That is I tie a nymph to the grasshopper. I have found the easiest way to attach them is to tie the tippet to the bend of the grasshopper hook with an improved clinch knot. The length of the dropper is generally determined by the depth of the water. If the water is fairly shallow I will use an eighteen inch dropper. In deeper water, I generally use a thirty six inch one. My choice of the dropper fly is determined by, which nymph I am having the most success with that day.

I use the same basic rig, the same flies and the same technique, if I am wading or drifting in a river boat. By the way smallmouths like them also.

If you have never tried hoppers, now is the time to give them a try. If you would like to learn more about them join me at the next North Arkansas Fly Fisher’s meeting on August 18, 2015 at the Van Matre Senior Center at 7:00 PM. The public is welcome.

John Berry is a fly fishing guide for Blue Ribbon Guides in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years. 

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 7/31/2015

During the past week, we have had a rain event (about a half inch here in Cotter), hot temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell two tenths of a foot to rest at thirty and eight tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is three and two tenths feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell two and one tenth feet to rest at eight and nine tenths feet above seasonal power pool and five and one tenth feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake rose one tenth of a foot to rest at seven and nine tenths feet above seasonal power pool and seven tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had high levels of generation with no wadable water. Norfork Lake rose five tenths of a foot to rest at sixteen and three tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet and eight feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had wadable water every day.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. Due to recent rains, the lakes on this system are well above seasonal power pool and are nearing the top of flood pool. We can expect high levels of generation in the coming months.

On heavy generation, the best way to catch fish is to switch to longer leaders and heavier weight. On the White, the hot spot was the Catch and Release section at Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers (#8, #10), Y2Ks (#14, #12), prince nymphs (#14), zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead #16, #18), pheasant tails (#14), ruby midges (#18), root beer midges (#18), pink and cerise San Juan worms (#10), and sowbugs (#16). Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (my current favorite is a hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm with a prince nymph or copper John suspended below it).

Conventional wisdom states that hopper fishing begins in late summer. I reject this idea and fish them all year. I favor shorter leaders (seven and a half foot 4X) and a stiff six weight rod to proper deliver these weighty flies. My favorite flies are Dave’s hoppers (#10) and the western pink lady (#8). To increase hook ups I always use a dropper. I am currently using a ruby or root beer midge in size eighteen on a three foot or longer tippet (depending on the depth of the water I am fishing).

The sulphurs have been coming off fairly reliably. This is our major mayfly hatch of the year. They are size fourteen and easy to see. Before the hatch, you should concentrate on fishing pheasant tail nymphs. When the trout key on the top but no insects are present, switch over to a partridge and yellow. When you observe trout taking adult insects from the top of the water column, you should switch over to sulphur parachutes.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are a bit high and off color. With the warm weather, the smallmouths are active. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.

On the Norfork, there is a substantial amount of water leaking around one of the flood gates that was being repaired, when the lake levels began to rise. As a result, the water temperature on the Norfork has risen to near dangerous levels. There has been no observed fish kill but the trout are stressed. Any fish caught should be carefully released. During periods of generation the temperatures are near normal.  The most productive flies have been small midge patterns (#18, #20, #22)  like ruby midges, root beer midges, zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles (#14, #16) like the green butt. Egg patterns have also been productive. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise #10). There have been reliable hatches of small midges (try a size 24 Adams parachute) and caddis (try a size 18 elk hair caddis). There have been daily hatches of sulphurs aroundnoon. The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. My favorite combination has been a grass hopper with a root beer or ruby midge dropper.

There is a major construction project at the Norfork National Fish Hatchery. You can still access Dry Run Creek. It has seen more pressure with school out. It still fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs (#14), Y2Ks (#12) and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise #10).  

The water on the Spring River is high and off color. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is in full swing and can be a nuisance to fishing. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash (#10), cerise and hot pink San Juan worms (#10) and Y2Ks (#10).

Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers and Dry Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo.

John Berry is a fly fishing guide for Blue Ribbon Guides in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years. 

JOHN BERRY FISHING REPORT 7/24/15

During the past week, we have had several rain events (combined for about an inch and a half here in Cotter), hot temperatures and moderate winds. The lake level at Bull Shoals fell five tenths of a foot to rest at thirty one feet above seasonal power pool of 661 feet. This is three feet below the top of flood pool. Upstream, Table Rock fell five tenths of a foot to rest at ten feet above seasonal power pool and three feet below the top of flood pool. Beaver Lake fell three tenths of a foot to rest at seven and eight tenths feet above seasonal power pool and eight tenths of a foot below the top of flood pool. On the White, we had high generation with no wadable water. Norfork Lake rose a foot to rest at fifteen and seven tenths feet above seasonal power pool of 555.75 feet and eight and five tenths feet below the top of flood pool. On the Norfork, we had wadable water every day.

The water level for the top of power pool has been reset for the lakes in the White River system. Due to recent rains, the lakes on this system are well above seasonal power pool and are nearing the top of flood pool. We can expect high levels of generation in the coming months.

On heavy generation, the best way to catch fish is to switch to longer leaders and heavier weight. On the White, the hot spot was the Catch and Release section at Rim Shoals. The hot flies were olive woolly buggers (#8, #10), Y2Ks (#14, #12), prince nymphs (#14), zebra midges (black with silver wire and silver bead or red with silver wire and silver bead #16, #18), pheasant tails (#14), ruby midges (#18), root beer midges (#18), pink and cerise San Juan worms (#10), and sowbugs (#16). Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (my current favorite is a hot fluorescent pink or cerise San Juan worm with a prince nymph or copper John suspended below it).

Conventional wisdom states that hopper fishing begins in late summer. I reject this idea and fish them all year. I favor shorter leaders (seven and a half foot 3X) and a stiff six weight rod to proper deliver these weighty flies. My favorite flies are Dave’s hoppers (#10) and the western pink lady (#8). To increase hook ups I always use a dropper. I am currently using a ruby or root beer midge in size eighteen on a three foot or longer tippet (depending on the depth of the water I am fishing).

The sulphurs have been coming off fairly reliably. I was lucky enough to catch it on the Norfork again before the water came up. This is our major mayfly hatch of the year. They are size fourteen and easy to see. Before the hatch, you should concentrate on fishing pheasant tail nymphs. When the trout key on the top but no insects are present, switch over to a partridge and yellow. When you observe trout taking adult insects from the top of the water column, you should switch over to sulphur parachutes.

The Buffalo National River and Crooked Creek are a bit high and off color. With the warm weather, the smallmouths are active. Carefully check the water level before entering Crooked Creek or the Buffalo River. There are no dams on these streams. They both have large drainages and are prone to flooding during and following any rain event. The water can rise very quickly.

The Norfork River has fished better lately. The siphon is back in action. The most productive flies have been small midge patterns (#18, #20, #22)  like ruby midges, root beer midges, zebra midges (black or red with silver wire and silver bead) and soft hackles (#14, #16) like the green butt. Egg patterns have also been productive. Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective. Try a small bead headed nymph (zebra midge, copper John or pheasant tail) suspended eighteen inches below a brightly colored San Juan worm (hot fluorescent pink or cerise #10). There have been reliable hatches of small midges (try a size 24 Adams parachute) and caddis (try a size 18 elk hair caddis). There have been daily hatches of sulphurs around noon. The fishing is better in the morning and late afternoon and tapers off midday. My favorite combination has been a grass hopper with a root beer or ruby midge dropper.

There is a major construction project at the Norfork National Fish Hatchery. You can still access Dry Run Creek. It has seen more pressure with school out. It still fished well. The hot flies have been sowbugs (#14), Y2Ks (#12) and various colored San Juan worms (worm brown, red, hot fluorescent pink and cerise #10).  

The water on the Spring River is high and off color. This is a great place to wade fish, when they are running water on the White and Norfork Rivers. Canoe season is in full swing and can be a nuisance to fishing. Be sure to wear cleated boots and carry a wading staff. There is a lot of bedrock that can get very slick. The hot flies have been olive woolly buggers with a bit of flash (#10), cerise and hot pink San Juan worms (#10) and Y2Ks (#10).

Remember that the White and Norfork Rivers and Dry Run Creek are infected with didymo, an invasive alga. Be sure and thoroughly clean and dry your waders (especially the felt soles on wading boots) before using them in any other water. Many manufacturers are now making rubber soled wading boots that are easier to clean and are not as likely to harbor didymo.

John Berry is a fly fishing guide for Blue Ribbon Guides in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.