Fly Fishing Tips | What Is the Best Hopper Pattern for Trout?

Prime hopper season runs from late summer into early fall. When warm water and low flows slow the regular aquatic insect hatches, trout start looking elsewhere for calories.

The good news is that grasshoppers are at their peak — abundant, clumsy, and constantly tumbling off streamside banks into trout water.

Where to Fish Hoppers for Trout

If there’s tall grass on the banks of a river or stream, you can bet there are hoppers. Trout will often eat them right when they hit the water next to the bank, but a good drift down a mid-river foam line can be just as effective.

Pay attention as you walk from your car to the water – if you can hear a clicking sound in the grass, there’s a good chance you’re about to have an excellent hopper day.

Chubby Chernobyl

The Chubby isn’t strictly a hopper pattern. It’s more of a catch-all terrestrial that can pass for a stonefly, cricket, ant, or, of course, a hopper.

Its buoyant foam body keeps it riding high in fast water and makes it a great option for a hopper-dropper rig.

Morrish Hopper

The Morrish Hopper is about as close as you’ll get to the appearance of a real grasshopper. It’s a good fly to have for slow-moving water, where trout have the time to get a good long look at a bug before eating.

If there are grasshoppers around but trout are turning their nose up at a Chubby, tie on a Morrish Hopper.

Dave’s Hopper

If a trout is particularly finicky and won’t eat a Morrish Hopper, my next move is a Dave’s Hopper. It’s made of natural materials (rather than synthetic) and is even lower profile.

The shift from the Morrish Hopper to the Dave's is a subtle one, but sometimes it's the difference between rejections and eats.

Thunder Thighs

If you’re looking for a pattern that falls somewhere between the Chubby and the Dave's Hopper, the Thunder Thighs Hopper is the ticket.

It’s more buoyant and easier to see on the water than a Dave's Hopper, and it has a more natural appearance than a Chubby.

Parachute Hopper

The Parachute Hopper is a great choice if you need a fly that’s visible but not big and bulky.

The white post makes this fly stand out on the water, but it still has a slim profile. It’s great for fishing slow water in low light conditions.

The Essential Trout Hopper Patterns

So do you need each of these in your fly box at all times? Honestly, probably not.

Most trout will get excited for any hopper pattern, but it never hurts to be ready for picky fish and different types of water. If you have room for a few more flies, it’s always nice to have options.