Hopper Heaven

One important lesson I have learned as an entomologist is that yearly weather trends can have a big impact on the population levels of different insect groups. Here in the east slopes of Alberta, the summer has mostly been hot and dry. Fewer mosquitoes to be sure, but the wasp populations are booming. A fair trade as far as I’m concerned.

Another advantage of hot, dry summers is the inevitable boom in grasshopper numbers. They have literally reached plague proportions in some communities in the far south, and while the numbers along my favorite trout streams have not developed into a waking nightmare, they are numerous enough to draw the full attention of feeding trout.

Like any other trout feeding scenario, when specific bug species become more numerous, they inevitably end up in the drift more often. As trout encounter and feed on these specific bugs more often, they develop strong search images that drive future feeding behavior.

Mature hoppers are a big mouthful for most trout – and well worth the effort and risk of taking up feeding stations right along the bank. When I see lots of hoppers diving out of my way as I walk the stream, running a hopper pattern tight to the bank becomes my MO for picking up some big fish.