While Dave Whitlock may have designed this fly back in the 1950’s, fish still absolutely love it, and the fly never ceases to amaze me at how effective it is, with just 1 modification.
Dave designed the fly with a yellow body. While this color works well on many rivers, next time you are out in the late summer/early fall, note the color of the body of the grasshoppers..most are tan.
DiscountFlies Online Fly Shop offers this pattern with a tan body, and, while I am certainly biased toward their patterns, can say definitively that you will love this fly during hopper season!
I fished in Rocky Mountain National Park today, enjoying the fall colors, and some of the best fishing I’ve had all year!
As I hiked in, I noticed quite a few grasshoppers along the walk, so went into my box of terrestrials, and tried several hopper patterns. Most were mildly successful, but I enjoy switching flies until I find the one that fish really get excited about, and that was Dave’s Hopper Tan/Brown.
I caught brookies and browns all day long, never changing the fly after I tied this one on. I would estimate that this one fly caught over 50 fish!
Note that this fly is mostly intact! This fly was practically bulletproof!
Tips on Fly Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park:
Fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park usually means that you are fishing for trout that are super spooky. Stay low, fish a long leader with 5x or 6x tippet, and use long casts. Do your best not to “line” the fish. (cast your fly line over a fish). Make sure to cast up next to undercut banks, because that is where the biggest fish hide, looking for a high-calorie grasshopper!
