Late summer is an interesting time for fly fisherman in the western United States. The early summer mayfly and stonefly hatches diminish. Kids go back to school, and work obligations pile up after summer vacations. Brown trout have not yet felt their pre-spawn angst, and streamer fishing is often futile. Air temperatures are searing and uncomfortable (thanks largely to tailwaters, this is not always the case for the water temperatures). Many uncommitted anglers feel the urge to hang up the rod for a while. But for me, this is one of the very best times of year due to one key ingredient: hoppers! What follows, Chad Agy Presents: I’m a Sucker For Hoppers, and You Should Be Too.
- Find fish where they are.
During much of the year, trout will hang out in spots that become fairly obvious to even the moderately experienced angler. Fish come from deep runs and pools to crush streamers. They hang out on ledges and drop offs, where they ambush hatching mayflies. Some will hold in structure like log jams and boulders, opportunistically waiting to smash any meal that floats by. That’s not to say these spots are completely unproductive during hopper season, but when hoppers are really on, most of the trout will move to unique spots. Particularly, trout will hug the banks in ways not seen during the rest of the year. They love spots where the mature, late summer grass overhangs the water; places where hoppers will literally drip off the banks into their eager mouths. I spend the vast majority of my time targeting the banks when I’m throwing a hopper.
Very shallow riffles are another great area to target with hoppers. These big juicy bugs proliferate during the warmest time of the year when fish will target fast, shallow, turbulent water, which tends to hold a higher oxygen content. This is an important feature for the trout when the water is warm. Riffles between one and three feet of depth are my second favorite place to target when fishing with a hopper. Of course, keep that thermometer handy and give the trout a rest when the water temperatures exceed 65 degrees Fahrenheit!
- Go big or go home!
One key feature that brings me success with hoppers is the size of the bugs that I like to use. I always err on larger patterns when possible. Size 2 Chubby Chernobyl Ants, size 4 Fat Alberts, and other similar big flies are usually the first ones I tie on when I start a day fishing hoppers. Trout will literally hang out underneath the banks, in places infeasible to put a fly due to overhanging vegetation. I find that by using a larger fly, I’m essentially ringing a dinner bell, calling the fish out from beneath the bank. I try to use a bit of force to slam the fly down on the water, thereby allowing the trout’s sensitive lateral line to detect the ruckus of the falling insect on the surface. I’ll consider sizing down if I’m getting follows and refusals on the bigger flies. A size 8 Panty Dropper Hopper is one of my favorites if I find myself in this situation (stop laughing, I didn’t name the fly).
- Drop the dropper.
Fishing a hopper/dropper setup is an extremely popular technique for a reason, it is incredibly effective! However, for a couple reasons, I usually prefer to clip off the dropper, and fish the hopper single-point. First, I can fish nymphs all year long. On the contrary, getting hits on size 4 dry flies is a unique phenomenon largely experienced in late summer. Seeing those big surface eats is one of the greatest thrills in fly fishing for trout, and I don’t want to deprive myself of that because the trout saw my size 16 Frenchie first.
Additionally, in some rivers and situations, fishing single-point with the hopper is actually more effective. It allows me to get my hopper closer to the bank without ensnaring a weed or branch on the shore with the dropper. Again, this is where the fish like to hang out this time of the year, so anything that allows me to get closer to them is an advantage.
- Wade aggressively.
Aggressive wading also helps me get my hopper as close as possible to the bank. Notice a theme here? I like to wade up grassy banks, casting more-or-less directly above my position, and slowly working my way upstream. I find this approach worthwhile even if that means wading swift, chest-deep water. There is often a little pillow of relatively current-less water against the bank. If the fly is casted over the current to this area, it’s nearly impossible to get a drag free drift for more than a few seconds, even for the best line manager out there. Therefore, wading directly up the same bank that I am fishing is my preferred approach.
This technique is somewhat strenuous, and may be dangerous in certain rivers. It’s definitely not for everyone. The risk of going for a swim is certainly there. But when the air and water are warm, a wader-less swim is usually not the end of the world. But this approach certainly requires a degree of youth and fitness to complete safely and effectively. This is why it’s important to put in some miles and squats during the off-season, so when the hoppers come around it’s possible to wade upstream for great distances in deep, swift, water!
- Bring the right gear.
Proper gear goes a long way to increase success during hopper season. I size up my rod one size to handle bigger flies, which are often engulfed by bigger fish. I think a 6-weight rod is the perfect size for hoppers on most medium and large streams in the west. I also like a bit of extra length on the rod. This allows me to high stick the hopper a bit, which produces more drag-free drifts in those soft pillows against shore. My rod of choice is my Sage R8 9’6” 6-weight, as it ticks all the boxes for a great hopper rod.
A pair of good wading boots, with a sticky foot sole, is also important for the strenuous wading often involved with hopper fishing. Although they are pricey, the Simms G4 Prolock wading boots are the best on the market in my opinion. With interchangeable cleats, sticky Vibram rubber or felt, and a bomb-proof construction, these boots are perfect for the rigors of long-distance summertime wading. Finally, it is important to size up tippets during the hopper season. These larger flies require a thicker connection to avoid broken tippet and broken hearts. The big flies themselves easily pop off on smaller tippets. Trying to get the fly close to the bank will sometimes result in actually hitting the bank, necessitating a thicker tippet to pull the fly off plants without breaking off. And big hoppers often attract big fish! That extra strength on the tippet helps land the river’s largest denizens. Unless I”m fishing a small mountain stream, I rarely go below 3x on my tippet with hoppers, and 2x is often my preferred size.
Hopper season may be the very best time of year to catch trout in the western United States. Late summer crowds are thin compared to the early summer hordes. Dry fly fishing is rarely better. Warm weather allows us to ditch the waders and pull out the wet-wading booties. And big hoppers often produce some of the best trout of the year. Use these tips to get out there and experience perhaps the pinnacle of fly fishing in the west!
