Hook Size 8/10/12/14/16
Dave’s Hopper is probably the most famous of all flies that imitate the grasshopper. It was
created by the talented Dave Whitlock. Dave’s Hopper looks very much like a grasshopper
and over the years has caught thousands of trout as well as other species of fish including
bass and panfish. Dave’s Hopper is a great panfish fly.
Grasshopper that get into the water do so by accident. Unless there are strong winds,
most of them probably fall from plants along the banks of the stream. Some probably fly
out into the water with no clue that aren’t safe landing on the water. That’s why we
suggest fishing Dave’s Hopper parallel to the banks. You should first try presenting your
hopper close to the banks being careful not to spook any trout holding close to the banks.
If you have ever watched a real grasshopper in the water, you will see that they make an
effort to get out of the water or maybe back to the bank. They will kick wildly a few times
and then seem to just stop and drift. We suggest that you catch one of the grasshoppers
and throw it into the water. Watching the real thing will teach you a lot. You should try to
make your Dave’s Hopper fly behave in the same manner as much as possible.
Don’t try to present the fly softly or without making a splash. A splashy delivery may even
help. You may also even try adding some action to the fly. Just don’t overdo it. You may
spook more trout than you fool.
In most situations, an up or up and across presentation would probably work best. There
could be cases where a downstream presentation would work best but they are probably
rare. We like to make a lot of short upstream cast and keep on moving. It isn’t necessary
to make a long drift. The trout seem to Dave’s Hopper just as soon as it hits the water.
