The hopper myth?
 

The hopper/dropper thread down the page a bit reminded me this.

One day, several years ago, by weaving back and forth downwind, I managed to
herd about 40 or 50 hoppers in front of me and out onto the 'Bonefish Flat'
section of the HFork. I've read, over and over, about the 'smashing rises'
that were going to occur and I excitedly followed the hapless flotilla
downstream, expecting to mark the location of many big fish.

Well, after following 40 live hoppers maybe 500 yards ( all the way down
into the fast water near the midway bridge) I had seen exactly one rise and
it appeared to be a small fish. 40 times 500 yards is a hell of a lot of
float to get one rise.

Since that I've never gotten up much enthusiam for tying on a hopper, but I
still carry a few.

Actually, I've never experienced 'hopper fishing' that struck me as more
effective than big attractor dry fishing would have been, same time and
place. ( one exception, a high country lake with a patch of grass that had
hundreds of hoppers along the edge...there the fish were hopper selective ).

When and where have you experienced good fishing to hopper patterns and
thought that 'hopper' was a key to the fish? I'm tempted to think such
situations are actually far more rare than the stories about them in the
magazines.

The hopper myth?
 

On Thu, 13 Apr 2006 21:35:24 GMT, "Larry" wrote:

When and where have you experienced good fishing to hopper patterns and
thought that 'hopper' was a key to the fish? I'm tempted to think such
situations are actually far more rare than the stories about them in the
magazines.

It wasn't a hopper, but a butterfly.
The spray from a waterfall hit the insect and forced it on the surface
of the water. I stopped fishing to watch the hapless thing try to get
airborne. It drifted no more than five feet when a big brookie
porpoised and sucked it in with barely a splash. Unfortunately, I
didn't (and still don't for obvious reasons) have a butterfly fly in
my box.

Dave

The hopper myth?
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...
The hopper/dropper thread down the page a bit reminded me this.

One day, several years ago, by weaving back and forth downwind, I managed
to herd about 40 or 50 hoppers in front of me and out onto the 'Bonefish
Flat' section of the HFork. I've read, over and over, about the
'smashing rises' that were going to occur and I excitedly followed the
hapless flotilla downstream, expecting to mark the location of many big
fish.

Well, after following 40 live hoppers maybe 500 yards ( all the way down
into the fast water near the midway bridge) I had seen exactly one rise
and it appeared to be a small fish. 40 times 500 yards is a hell of a
lot of float to get one rise.

Since that I've never gotten up much enthusiam for tying on a hopper, but
I still carry a few.

Actually, I've never experienced 'hopper fishing' that struck me as more
effective than big attractor dry fishing would have been, same time and
place. ( one exception, a high country lake with a patch of grass that
had hundreds of hoppers along the edge...there the fish were hopper
selective ).

When and where have you experienced good fishing to hopper patterns and
thought that 'hopper' was a key to the fish? I'm tempted to think such
situations are actually far more rare than the stories about them in the
magazines.

I have had caught trout on my favorite stream, Upp_r Cree_, on hoppers.
Usually, it is in the dead of summer, when terrestrial are in full bloom, so
to speak. Of course, our trout are opportunists and jump at the chance to
take a morsel as large as a hopper.

However, even in the heat of summer, I don't often fish hoppers, as I like
fishin' dainty patterns cause they light on the water so nicely.

Op --that's right, I ain't much of a fisherman, but I so like wadin' a cool
stream, regardless of my success--

The hopper myth?
 

Larry wrote:
snip
When and where have you experienced good fishing to hopper patterns and
thought that 'hopper' was a key to the fish? I'm tempted to think such
situations are actually far more rare than the stories about them in the
magazines.

Slough Creek, Yellowstone. On windy afternoons from mid-August
into September the big cutts won't touch much of anything else.

--
Ken Fortenberry

The hopper myth?
 

Like RW says below, cutthroats are addicts.
I do occasionally catch rainbows on hoppers,
but not that often. Cuts and browns, on the other
hand, love'em.

I talked earlier about using a hopper-dropper.
When I do that on the Missouri, for instance
(when conditions are right), at the end of the
day almost 100% of the rainbows I catch
are on the nymph. 2 or 3 browns, at most,
will take the hopper. But those 2-3 browns
are often, by far, the biggest fish of the day.

So, in general terms, I'd say rainbows don't
like hoppers that much. Browns like them
a lot more than rainbows, and cutthroats
can't resist.

The hopper myth?
 

On Thu, 13 Apr 2006 15:53:12 -0700, rw wrote:

Larry wrote:

When and where have you experienced good fishing to hopper patterns and
thought that 'hopper' was a key to the fish? I'm tempted to think such
situations are actually far more rare than the stories about them in the
magazines.

Rock Creek Clave, maybe three years ago. It was outstanding. The cutts
were taking hoppers like crazy along the cut banks on the upper part of
the creek.

I caught a bunch of browns on them in the middle part of the creek too, and they
worked well on the Yellowstone when Warren, Willi and I fished it prior to the
clave.
--
Charlie...
http://www.chocphoto.com

The hopper myth?
 

"Larry" wrote...


When and where have you experienced good fishing to hopper patterns and
thought that 'hopper' was a key to the fish? I'm tempted to think such
situations are actually far more rare than the stories about them in the
magazines.


In my limited, Mid-west experience, I've found that tossing a hopper right
up to the bank can be very productive.

The Black Earth in Wolfgang's Curdistan has a very weedy shoreline that
teems with hoppers once the heat gets going. On a windy day, the things are
all over the water, and some rises can be seen. I'm no expert on this
water -- fished it mebbe a dozen times, but from what I've seen, heat +
hoppers = fish. IIRC, I used a Madam CDC (Chuck Vance's DDFS fly in 2005)
and Big Dale's Klod Hopper with pretty good results.

In Michigan, the PM near Claybanks (by the stairs) has a very high
cliff-like shoreline. It's also very weedy. Lots of tall grasses and the
like. The banks have been reinforced with logs in places to help with
erosion control. In mid-summer, tossing a hopper (Dave's is the pattern of
choice there, but I've gotten fish on a Madam X, too) to the log at the base
of one of the cliffs can make for a fun afternoon. Again, no expert here,
just some limited experience.

Dan
.....keywords: "limited experience"

The hopper myth?
 

wrote

So, in general terms, I'd say rainbows don't
like hoppers that much. Browns like them
a lot more than rainbows, and cutthroats
can't resist.


VERY interesting ...

The hopper myth?
 

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote


Slough Creek, Yellowstone. On windy afternoons from mid-August
into September the big cutts won't touch much of anything else.



I've heard this one from many trust worthy sources

My wedding anniversary is August 14th ( 30 years this year ) and I've been
coming home for it and maybe going back out, but not as far as Yellowstone,
later. I've never done the Fall in Yellowstone :-(

I think I may have been successful in re-negotiating my contract so that I
can stay until mid Oct this year. I mentioned to the bride that for the
big three-oh we could renew our vows. She smiled. I then added that we
could do it mid-Winter and change our anniversary to that Winter date, ...
so it didn't conflict with my fishing trips. Not sure you would call it a
smile, this time, but it was a reality accepting, always extremely
supportive, "oh, you're impossible" look that I've grown to recognize ...
and dearly love ...followed by, "You don't have to come home in August, we
can celebrate our 30th year any old time, but fishing is only good part of
each year. You should stay and fish."

The hopper myth?
 

Larry wrote:

When and where have you experienced good fishing to hopper patterns and
thought that 'hopper' was a key to the fish? I'm tempted to think such
situations are actually far more rare than the stories about them in the
magazines.

Rock Creek Clave, maybe three years ago. It was outstanding. The cutts
were taking hoppers like crazy along the cut banks on the upper part of
the creek.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

The hopper myth?
 

"Dave LaCourse" wrote

It wasn't a hopper, but a butterfly.



I've had more faith in ( which usually translates into success with ) adult
damsel patterns than hopper patterns in mid summer on the weedy spring
creeks I usually fish.

The biggest moving water trout I've ever hooked was on tiny Loving Creek,
underneath the old train bridge down from Hayspur. I watched that fish
for an hour or more and decided that more than one drift to it without
spooking it was impossible, it was a one shot situation. It was laying in
swirling weeds that made a subsurface presentation seem impossible too (
although it was feeding subsurface )

Finally, I noticed a blue damsel get blown off an emerging weed and mired in
the film. It didn't float by the big fish, but it did inspire. I went
back to camp and found a gawdawful deer hair bass bug, more or less tied to
represent a blue damsel in my stuff.


Back I came and sent the bug down stream to the fish, using a "Fall River
Twitch" ..... the fish rose, sucked it in, ... I set. Roughly 3/4
nanosecond later that fish was a disappearing wake on the other side of that
barbed wire fence across the creek down there, and my line was limp..again.

Breathing rapidly, but not too disappointed, I turned to leave and 'hiding'
on the bank was a DFG guy I knew from my years of staying at Hayspur. He
had seen me trying for the fish and came to witness. He worked in the
Hayspur hatchery and was accustomed to seeing big brood stock fish and
judging their size ... the poundage he mentioned as his guess on 'my' fish
stretches even my ability to believe me, so I'll remain mute G

Since then, I've had several good sessions with adult damsels on windy hot
weather spring creeks.

The hopper myth?
 

"Charlie Choc" wrote

I caught a bunch of browns on them in the middle part of the creek too,
and they
worked well on the Yellowstone when Warren, Willi and I fished it prior to
the
clave.

did you guys think that 'hopper' was something the fish were really looking
for? Or just one of many things they might have sampled if it looked like
it might be food? You too rw, on the bank feeders

The hopper myth?
 

On Thu, 13 Apr 2006 23:25:44 GMT, "Larry" wrote:


"Charlie Choc" wrote

I caught a bunch of browns on them in the middle part of the creek too,
and they
worked well on the Yellowstone when Warren, Willi and I fished it prior to
the
clave.

did you guys think that 'hopper' was something the fish were really looking
for? Or just one of many things they might have sampled if it looked like
it might be food? You too rw, on the bank feeders

Actually, I meant the middle part of Rock Creek as opposed to the upper part. I
caught my fish right up against the bank too.

There were hoppers around so maybe the fish were keying on them, or maybe they
just heard the plop and saw something big and juicy looking. One place I tried
the usual suspects (Adams, stimulators, humpy's, PMD's, etc) with no luck and
then switched to a foam hopper like I had used on the Yellowstone and caught 8
or 9 browns in about 30 minutes.
--
Charlie...
http://www.chocphoto.com

The hopper myth?
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...

"...You should stay and fish."

You should grow up and be a man.

Wolfgang

The hopper myth?
 

"Charlie Choc" wrote

One place I tried
the usual suspects (Adams, stimulators, humpy's, PMD's, etc) with no luck
and
then switched to a foam hopper like I had used on the Yellowstone and
caught 8
or 9 browns in about 30 minutes.


that qualifies as proof in my book G


On the subject "hoppers" I was just thie minute trying to mow part of our
weeds ( lawn ) on the only dry day we've had in a long time.

I flushed a big bug, shut down the mower and chased it down. It was a big
hopper, size 8 at least, but still bright green like the baby ones. My
guess ( also qualifies as proof in my book :-) is that it hatched at
'normal' times but has stayed the color of new grass to be camoflaged where
most years it would be tan by now

The hopper myth?
 

"Daniel-San" wrote in message
om...

...The Black Earth in Wolfgang's Curdistan has a very weedy shoreline that
teems with hoppers once the heat gets going....

The Black Earth is not mine......nor is all of Curdistan, for that matter.
We just sort of......um....."cohabitate." C'mon up sometime and I'll show
you mine. :)

Wolfgang
ask joel.

The hopper myth?
 

Larry wrote:
"Charlie Choc" wrote


I caught a bunch of browns on them in the middle part of the creek too,
and they
worked well on the Yellowstone when Warren, Willi and I fished it prior to
the
clave.


did you guys think that 'hopper' was something the fish were really looking
for? Or just one of many things they might have sampled if it looked like
it might be food? You too rw, on the bank feeders

At that time they were hitting black beetles hard, too. I don't believe
that selectivity is a big problem when cutts are feeding on terrestrials.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

The hopper myth?
 

North Dakota lakes in the summer. The wind would blow grasshoppers into the
lakes. Sometimes they were big enought to knock a man off a motorcycle. I
never saw the blown in in grate numbers but enough to keep a few fish busy.
I would cast a Joes Hopper at a fish ( or what I though was a fish) and
ocassionally connect. Good weather, a chance at fish and in NoDak nobody
else around.
"Larry" wrote in message
...
The hopper/dropper thread down the page a bit reminded me this.

One day, several years ago, by weaving back and forth downwind, I managed
to herd about 40 or 50 hoppers in front of me and out onto the 'Bonefish
Flat' section of the HFork. I've read, over and over, about the
'smashing rises' that were going to occur and I excitedly followed the
hapless flotilla downstream, expecting to mark the location of many big
fish.

Well, after following 40 live hoppers maybe 500 yards ( all the way down
into the fast water near the midway bridge) I had seen exactly one rise
and it appeared to be a small fish. 40 times 500 yards is a hell of a
lot of float to get one rise.

Since that I've never gotten up much enthusiam for tying on a hopper, but
I still carry a few.

Actually, I've never experienced 'hopper fishing' that struck me as more
effective than big attractor dry fishing would have been, same time and
place. ( one exception, a high country lake with a patch of grass that
had hundreds of hoppers along the edge...there the fish were hopper
selective ).

When and where have you experienced good fishing to hopper patterns and
thought that 'hopper' was a key to the fish? I'm tempted to think such
situations are actually far more rare than the stories about them in the
magazines.

The hopper myth?
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...

When and where have you experienced good fishing to hopper patterns and
thought that 'hopper' was a key to the fish? I'm tempted to think such
situations are actually far more rare than the stories about them in the
magazines.

Could be. I was watching a spring creek protected to fishing (on hatchery
land), so I was free to observe the trout in the clear water and they were
free to eat without harrassment. I floated a bunch of hoppers over their
heads and they never even looked at them. They ate some other stuff while I
was there though.

When we were at Rock Creek for the clave a couple years ago, the trout were
hammering these huge "club sandwich" drys, which could be hoppers, or could
be stoneflies, who knows (there was no stonefly hatch at the time.) I don't
really know why that stuff works. I don't recall ever seeing a trout hit a
real hopper.

The hopper myth?
 

jeffc wrote:

When we were at Rock Creek for the clave a couple years ago, the trout were
hammering these huge "club sandwich" drys, which could be hoppers, or could
be stoneflies, who knows (there was no stonefly hatch at the time.) I don't
really know why that stuff works. I don't recall ever seeing a trout hit a
real hopper.

Bechler River, Yellowstone Park, September, during the Henry's Fork
Clave a few years ago: meadow creek, crystal clear water, big, spooky
trout, and lots of hoppers on a windy day. The only way to fool one of
these trout (that I found, at least) was to wait quietly with a low
profile until it revealed itself by eating a hopper. Then fish a hopper
downstream after a decent interval.

Unfortunately, I'd broken my 5wt the day before (much to Dave LaCourse's
amusement), so I had to cast big hoppers in a brisk wind with a noodly
Cabela's KPOS 3wt. By the end of the day I had no hoppers left -- most
of them broken off in the weeds on my backcast.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

The hopper myth?
 

There are streams in and around the Yellowstone area where the fish
will hit hoppers and ants, but not the usual arsenal of dry flies. In
many cases, the "hopper season" kicks in around July 20 or so. I have
floated many different dry fly patterns (wulff's, caddis, drakes, BWO,
so forth) over the same hole, only to have zero hits except for an
occasional small trout that was more curious than determined. I then
would tie on a well defined hopper pattern (usually a long skinny
hopper , with a small white parachute at the head), only to have 14-16
inch rainbows rush off then bottom to take the hopper. They definitely
key on them, and not only will you get more fish, but many times the
hoppers will bring the larger fish right up from the bottom of the
deepest pools and runs.

I was fishing a stream a year or so ago just north of Yellowstone on a
Montana national forest. I had approached a wide bend in the river,
amid some good sized cliffs with pines and cottonwoods scattered in
lovely tall grass meadows. It was one of the deeper pools on the river.
At the head of the pool, a large old log sticks just barely out of the
water. Just beyond it is the deeper water. I made many casts with some
caddis, BWO's, wulff's, humpy's, stimulators, drakes, you name it. Not
a fish took, and this was about as "good fish" water as you are going
to find anywhere. I tied on a very detailed hopper pattern and made a
nice cast to just beyond that log. Immediately, a 22-24 inch rainbow
leaped out ofthe water, with my hopper in it's mouth. It had a belly
like a bison, and slapped down into the water like a big fat beaver. I
set the hook, and within seconds the rod was doubled over and I had
gone to my backing as the fish ran downstream. It then broke off.


Hoppers are good.

I find they work much better out in the northern rockies where they
actually have trout in the streams.

The hopper myth?
 

Larry wrote:

[when and where hoppers have worked]

To add to the chorus, down here in Texas hoppers can be useful.
Anytime after the beginning of April I carry a few different varieties
in my flybox. From realistic flies like Dave's and Joe's hoppers to the
"club sandwich" monstrosities, and my little variation on the Madame X,
all will take bass or sunfish.

I haven't seen anything approaching a "hatch"; rather the fish seem
to feed opportunistically on them (i.e., that looks big and juicy so
I'll take a shot at it). And strangely enough, I've had decent luck
midstream rather than just "pounding the banks" with them.

But perhaps the best thing about fishing hoppers is that it's one
time when my atrocious casting doesn't hurt my chances of catching fish.
Heck, all the experts say you're *supposed* to splat them on the
water. :-)


Chuck Vance (and that's one trick I have mastered)

The hopper myth?
 

"rw" wrote



Bechler River, Yellowstone Park,

Now that knee surgery has me getting around a little better, the Bechler is
on my list ... by the descriptions I've read, including yours, it sounds
like my kinda place. I'll be sure to carry some hoppers.

The hopper myth?
 

"Jimbo" wrote

.. I tied on a very detailed hopper pattern and made a
nice cast to just beyond that log. Immediately, a 22-24 inch rainbow
leaped out ofthe water, with my hopper in it's mouth.


What pattern do you use? Can you post a link to a picture and recipe? If
I'm going to tie up some hoppers might as well do it right.

The hopper myth?
 

Larry wrote:
"rw" wrote




Bechler River, Yellowstone Park,


Now that knee surgery has me getting around a little better, the Bechler is
on my list ... by the descriptions I've read, including yours, it sounds
like my kinda place. I'll be sure to carry some hoppers.

Take bear spray.

I've heard of (but not seen) a hot spring at the Bechler where you can
hook a trout and then plop in into the hot spring to be poached. (the
cooking kind of poaching)

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

The hopper myth?
 

The Bechler hot springs is at the extreme north end
of the meadow, right where the trail starts to head
up the mountain toward Lewis Lake.

It's big enough to actualy swim in.
It's almost 11 miles from the Ranger Station.
My dad and I were soaking in there once, when
a bare breasted amazon like pony-tailed hippy-woman hiker
arrived, coming down off the mountain
from the Lewis lake side. She didn't bat an eye. She just dropped
her backpack and jumped in there with us.

The hopper myth?
 

Larry wrote:

What pattern do you use? Can you post a link to a picture and recipe? If
I'm going to tie up some hoppers might as well do it right.

I don't have a picture but here's the hopper recipe I use:

Hook: Mustad 79580 (or similar 4X) 14-10
Thread: Yellow or Black 6/0
Rib: Gold wire
Abdomen: Floss or dubbing to match your local hopper
Body: Brown hackle
Wing: Mottled turkey quill coated with Flexament
Legs: Knotted pheasant tail fibers
Thorax: Tan dubbing
Hackle: Grizzly

Tie in the rib at the tail then dub forward to the 60% mark and tie in a
brown hackle. Palmer the hackle backward and tie off with the rib. Wrap
the rib forward to the 60% mark and tie off. Trim the top side of the
hackle flat so the wing will fit properly. Tie in the wing, the legs and
a grizzly hackle at the 60% mark. Dub with tan dubbing to just before
the eye then wrap the grizzly hackle forward and tie off. Finish.

It looks like a Joe's Hopper with legs.

--
Ken Fortenberry

The hopper myth?
 

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote

Legs: Knotted pheasant tail fibers
Thorax: Tan dubbing
Hackle: Grizzly

Tie in the rib at the tail then dub forward to the 60% mark and tie in a
brown hackle. Palmer the hackle backward and tie off with the rib. Wrap
the rib forward to the 60% mark and tie off. Trim the top side of the
hackle flat so the wing will fit properly. Tie in the wing, the legs and
a grizzly hackle at the 60% mark. Dub with tan dubbing to just before
the eye then wrap the grizzly hackle forward and tie off. Finish.

It looks like a Joe's Hopper with legs.


Thanks Ken ... I'll tie a few ....

slight aside .... in some fly shop somewhere I saw a pheasant tail feather
all neatly divided into pre-tied hopper legs ... doing that for a living as
got to be way down anybody's list of preferred gigs

The hopper myth?
 

"rw" wrote


Take bear spray.



I probably am going to buy some bear spray this year. I've only seen three
grizzly bears in all the times I've been to Jellystone, starting in 1971,
but I've had a couple people very seriously tell me that I should avoid
going alone into some places .. and I should carry spray in others.
People that weren't in a position to sell me spray G

Age, I guess, but I'm definitely not as bold as I once was. I tend to worry
about things like breaking a leg or getting lost ( I was really good at
x-country trail-less travel in the Sierras, but the downed trees and lack of
distinct landmarks makes the Yellowstone area seem far more daunting off
trail ). Things that I thought about back then but never 'worried about.'
And bears,too, more than I ever did when younger. Especially since I'm
hiking alone.

HEHE,
I was chatting with John Jurachek ( really nice, very knowledgeable, guy )
one evening and asked about "really needing " bear spray. He started on an
elaborate "If I hadn't had it that time" story which I soon interrupted with
my very impressed "Really?"

At that, he and the other locals in the room cracked up and I knew I'd been
had .... by 'gullible tourist story # 4, variation b ' G



.................................................. .................................

"If they call it tourist season, why can't we shoot them?"

The hopper myth?
 

Thanks Ken ... I'll tie a few ....

slight aside .... in some fly shop somewhere I saw a pheasant tail feather
all neatly divided into pre-tied hopper legs ... doing that for a living as
got to be way down anybody's list of preferred gigs


Hopper patterns are very popular in southern Alberta, and very
effective, particularly for rainbows and cutts. I use a deer hair hopper
with the knotted pheasant tail legs. The legs really aren't that hard
to make, you can basically knot them using a pair of fine-tipped forceps
or pliers. Hold a clump of fibres in your fingers. loop them around the
forceps, place the tag end into the jaws of the forceps, clamp, and pull
through the loop. You can find illustrated directions on page 214 of
"Tying Flies with Jack Dennis and Friends". The hopper pattern I like to
use is called the Flat Creek Hopper, and is from the same book. It
floats like a cork, and the trout will really hammer it. I used it on a
float trip down the Oldman River once. I would float it along the bank,
and the rainbows would just slam it.

Tim Lysyk

The hopper myth?
 

"Tim Lysyk" wrote

use is called the Flat Creek Hopper, and is from the same book. It floats
like a cork, and the trout will really hammer it. I used it on a


wow, more memories ... I spent a couple summers training dogs on clients
private property and the south section of the Elk preserve in Jackson. As
I remember Flat Creek opens really late in the season, but is a 'stalkers'
dream come true.

I'll google the pattern

Jack Dennis once told me how to 'sneak onto' a spring creek along the Snake,
near my clients property and told me that at worse the owner would just
chase me off, probably even let me stay and fish, but not to bother asking
permission as it was never granted in advance (apparently the owner was well
known as eccentric in Jackson ) .... I was too chicken **** ( oh, let's
change that to ethical :-) to ever do it though

The hopper myth?
 

wrote in message
ups.com...
The Bechler hot springs is at the extreme north end
of the meadow, right where the trail starts to head
up the mountain toward Lewis Lake.

It's big enough to actualy swim in.
It's almost 11 miles from the Ranger Station.
My dad and I were soaking in there once, when
a bare breasted amazon like pony-tailed hippy-woman hiker
arrived, coming down off the mountain
from the Lewis lake side. She didn't bat an eye. She just dropped
her backpack and jumped in there with us.


One of the things I miss most since leaving Montana (MSLA), is being able to
hop in the truck, and be soaking in a wild Idaho hot springs in about an
hour or so.

If it was a quick trip to Jerry Johnson's, you usually end up meeting
people from all of the globe.

Can't remember any time I was there, where anyone brought swim suits.

Skwala - whose nude hot spring soaks are behind him, and that's probably a
good thing.

The hopper myth?
 

"Skwala" wrote


nude hot spring soaks are behind him, and that's probably a good thing.


Holy crap ... if I tried to climb in, nude, with others I'd be arrested as a
terrorist ... it would be terrifying too ..shudder

The hopper myth?
 

"Wolfgang" wrote ...

"Daniel-San" wrote ...

...The Black Earth in Wolfgang's Curdistan has a very weedy shoreline
that teems with hoppers once the heat gets going....

The Black Earth is not mine......nor is all of Curdistan, for that matter.
We just sort of......um....."cohabitate." C'mon up sometime and I'll show
you mine. :)


Just wanted to guve you the credit for the term. One of the better nicknames
for a state I've heard.

I'm planning on heading up to the BEC sometime next week -- most likely
Wednesday if the weather looks reasonable. Trying to deal with my fishing
habit while I should be packing the house up for the move is a difficult
dance. A little fishing is allowed, so long as a lot of packing has taken
place...

Dan

The hopper myth?
 

Larry, the one I use looks like this:

http://troutangler.com/imagesprod/flies/fly%20058.gif


Except there is much less tuft below the parachute ( and it's a kind of
brown reddish - it's also much finer). Also, it's much longer with a
bright yellow body that is a good bit skinnier than the fly pictured.
The parachute is smaller too. The legs and back wings are pretty much
spot on though. The size I use is around 6-10.

When looking at the fly, one would think it wouldn't catch any fish at
all. But I have fished it for a few seaons along side dave's hoppers
and numerous other hoppers, and it easily outfishes them from my
experience. It's especially good at getting bigger fish off the bottom.

The hopper myth?
 

"Tim Lysyk" wrote
use is called the Flat Creek Hopper, and is from the same book. It floats
like a cork, and the trout will really hammer it. I used it on a float
trip down the Oldman River once. I would float it along the bank, and the
rainbows would just slam it.



I googled the p0attern and found a picture

I was also inspired to find my fly box and add this to my website ... the
pattern shown was the result of "what I have to work with" more than real
design ... pheasant would make nicer legs, Ken's turkey a better wing ...
but now I'll be motivated to get the ugly pattern off my site G and work
until I find a hopper I can love G

http://www.kimshew.com/flyfish/displ...?pattern_id=10

The hopper myth?
 

"Jimbo" wrote

When looking at the fly, one would think it wouldn't catch any fish at
all. But I have fished it for a few seaons along side dave's hoppers
and numerous other hoppers, and it easily outfishes them from my
experience. It's especially good at getting bigger fish off the bottom.


Thank you, Jimbo, I like the look of it ... I'll make a point this season of
giving hoppers more chances to prove themselves to me.

The hopper myth?
 

On Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:16:45 GMT, "Larry" wrote:


"Charlie Choc" wrote

One place I tried
the usual suspects (Adams, stimulators, humpy's, PMD's, etc) with no luck
and
then switched to a foam hopper like I had used on the Yellowstone and
caught 8
or 9 browns in about 30 minutes.


that qualifies as proof in my book G

FWIW, the pattern I was using was this one:
http://shop.flyfishing.about.com/fly...etails/328.htm

They're easy to tie and don't seem to get torn up as fast as ones tied with
natural materials.
--
Charlie...
http://www.chocphoto.com

The hopper myth?
 

Also, I have found only one place that makes this exact fly(or has it
made for them )- it's a gas station/sporting goods store near the Crazy
Mountains north of the park. So far no luck at any online fly shop or
service. The big guys like Blue Ribbon Flies and Dan Bailey's haven't
heard of them.

The hopper myth?
 

"Charlie Choc" wrote

FWIW, the pattern I was using was this one:
http://shop.flyfishing.about.com/fly...etails/328.htm

They're easy to tie and don't seem to get torn up as fast as ones tied
with
natural materials.
--


cool, thanks ... I don't like the looks of most foam hoppers but this one is
pretty neat ( several meanings implied )