A Terrestrial That Doesn’t Waterlog
Standard fur-and-foam hoppers can soak up water and start riding low after a few fish. This pattern uses a closed-cell, high-density foam chassis built to stay floating through a full day of fishing, whether you’re pounding the banks or running a heavy dry-dropper rig.
Built to Carry Weight and Hold Up
- Hook: High-carbon steel, built to resist bending on bigger fish.
- Body: Closed-cell, high-density foam, buoyant enough to support a 2.5mm to 3.5mm tungsten dropper underneath.
- Legs: Centered silicone legs that move naturally with the current or a strip.
- Pack Size: 4 flies, one of each build.
What’s in the Pack
This assortment covers four common hopper situations.
Natural Tan/Green (0.5g): A grasshopper-colored build for clear water and meadow streams, when fish are keyed on real hoppers falling from the bank.
Yellow/Black Barred (0.4g): A higher-contrast build for stained water. The yellow and black barring reads as a wasp or large beetle rather than a grasshopper.
Tan/Orange (0.5g): Built for low light. The warmer tan and orange tones create a clear silhouette against a setting sun during the evening rise.
Olive/Orange with White Wing (0.6g): The largest and most buoyant fly in the pack, with a white indicator wing. Use this one to support your heaviest tungsten droppers or fish it on windy days.
How to Fish It
The Splat: Cast it hard against the bank. Real hoppers and crickets don’t land gently, and trout in summer get conditioned to that sound.
The Twitch: Small strips animate the rubber legs without moving the fly far.
The Indicator: Use it as a strike indicator on a dry-dropper rig. A small Zebra Midge or Tungsten Bead Stonefly Nymph on a dropper of 3X or 4X Fluorocarbon Tippet works well underneath it. If the hopper pauses or dips, set the hook.
Common Questions
Does this need floatant? No. The closed-cell foam body floats on its own.
What does this pattern imitate? Grasshoppers, crickets, and large stoneflies, the bulkiest terrestrials of summer.
What species can I catch on this? Trout and grayling are the main targets, especially on rivers where fish look up for big meals. The loud splat can also draw bass and panfish, and the general profile is a known producer for chub.
Which one should I tie on first if I’m not sure? The Natural Tan/Green build is the safest default for most clear-water situations. Switch to the Yellow/Black or Tan/Orange builds if that one isn’t getting looks.
Specs
| Build | Weight | Length | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Tan/Green | 0.5g | 40.1mm | 7.4mm |
| Yellow/Black Barred | 0.4g | 35mm | 7.4mm |
| Tan/Orange | 0.5g | 32mm | 7.4mm |
| Olive/Orange, White Wing | 0.6g | 43mm | 7.4mm |
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hook | High-carbon steel, size #8 |
| Body | Closed-cell, high-density foam |
| Legs | Silicone, centered placement |
| Pack Contents | 4 flies, one of each build |
| Target Species | Trout, Grayling, Bass, Panfish, Chub |
Picked these up on sale and wow, did not expect them to be this good. The foam body floats all day without any floatant , I fished one for three hours straight and it never sank. The rubber legs kick and wiggle on every little current seam. Cutthroat and browns both crushed it.