![]() ![]() Department of Agriculture, Forest Service) Trout gorge on Mormon crickets during so-called "swarming" events. Trout gorge on them during swarming events. They are native to the Mountain West and can have population outbreaks similar to grasshoppers. Mormon crickets are about 1.5 to 2.5 inches with robust bodies and vary in color from brown or back to tan, orange, reddish auburn, and olive. Grasshoppers are just the tip of the iceberg. If an insect can end up on the water, it can become trout food. Practice accurate casting, drag-free drifts, and natural presentations with occasional “skitching” to entice trout into striking. ![]() Hoppers are known for their erratic behavior, so imparting lifelike movements to your fly is essential. “It’s not just that the trout aren’t on hoppers, it’s that they’ve switched off altogether until the afternoon ‘hatch.’” “When hoppers are the major seasonal food source, the river on a crisp, damp morning can be as lifeless as a retirement home,” said Purnell’s article from 2014. Unfortunately, this can leave a only short window for good fishing. Take water temperatures throughout the day and consider starting cocktail hour once your thermometer reads 68 or above. Always prioritize fish health over big-fish or fish-count temptations.įurthermore, any given day’s best hopper fishing typically occurs during the warmest part of the day during this warmest part of the year. Many other area rivers followed suit with heat restrictions that same month. For example, “hoot-owl restrictions” went into place on Montana’s Lower Madison River on July 12 this year which is historically quite early, despite a favorable spring precipitation and cool temps. We continue to hear about trout populations declining right on schedule with climate scientists’ predictions regarding the expected reduction of trout waters. The biggest hurdle anglers might face this year and moving forward is high water temperatures.
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