Hoppers

[Mobasser]

Last summer, I gained access to a pond, and fished it three nights ago for the first time this season.                                                         Driving into the area, my grandson Aiden commented on all the grasshoppers that were jumping around. In years past, we've had summers where the hoppers were really thick. This summer I've seen a fair amount, and they were thick in the taller grass surrounding the pond. Most of these hoppers were 2 1/2 to 3" long. All are a tan/ light brn color.                                                       We started fishing, and I started with a plastic worm. Six feet from where I stood, a larger hopper landed on the surface. He fluttered around for a few seconds, and was quickly sucked in by what looked to be a 3lb bass. Aiden tied on a Rebel crikhopper, and caught six bass in the last 30min of daylight, twitching this small bait on the surface. The bass ignored my plastic worm, which is rare.                        We've had many good threads on forage that bass eat here on BR. This may be just a theory, but I'm convinced these fish have honed in on this grasshopper hatch.  They cruise the shoreline, and the hoppers get blown into the water, or jump in when they're spooked, providing the bass with an easy meal. We've all learned that bass are opportunist, and will eat almost anything that resembles food at various times. Does this sound correct? If these grasshoppers were not so thick, they would probably be targeting some other forage.                                      Fly fisherman have many good hopper imitations to choose from. The little Rebel Crikhopper is a good pond bait also. Are there any other smaller baits that work well as a grasshopper imitation?  The Crikhopper has a rep as a small fish lure, but the best bass Aiden caught from this pond was 17", so the small fish rep is not always true. Any other baits( besides fly fishing) that you've had good luck with when the grasshoppers are prevelent?

[Sphynx]

I like using a Morrish Hopper pattern fly late summer out west here and it has been my experience that when a hopper bite is on and you figure it out and get on it you'll wear them out pretty hard because the fish get plain reckless, works for trout and for bass too.

[Smells like fish]

Rebel makes the bigger version I think it might be called “Big Hopper” I have used these lures for a long time and use them oddly enough as a warm water jerk bait which means nearly constant jerks while retrieving the lure. 6 lb line lil light action Mitchell 308 spinning reel setup. 

Creme lures sells a walk the dog style lure that’s under 3”. It is also a sure thing. 

[DitchPanda]

1\8oz rebel Pop R or heddon tiny torpedo I think are both worth mentioning.

[Bluebasser86]

Any small popper makes a good grasshopper imitation. 

[king fisher]

Original floating Rapala, Hulla Poper, Tiny Torpedo, small Jitterbug, and best of all a live grasshopper.

[HaydenS]

Take a Zman TRD, in a color that matches your grasshoppers and rig it weightless on with a light wire EWG hook.  Give it a try and you won't be disappointed. 

[CrankFate]

Bass hone in on all kinds of large insects and larvae. Any time a baseless lake gets stocked with bass, it’s bye by dragon flies. I’ve seen bass get partially out of the water waiting for a blue dragonfly to land on the water. They will act like trout if the hatch is an actual hatch.