Sneak Attack: Stealth Will Help Your Hopper Fishing
Hopper season in Montana begins in July and peaks during the hottest months of the summer in August and September. It’s one of the most anticipated times of the year for fly anglers. Hopper fishing ranks right up there with the big hatches of caddis, mayflies, and stoneflies that swarm the major rivers in May, June and early July.
But unlike the Mother’s Day caddis and the salmonfly hatches on the Yellowstone and Madison Rivers, hopper fishing extends to the lesser-known waters and tributaries that course across Montana. As a terrestrial insect species, grasshoppers thrive along the banks of rivers and streams where abundant vegetation provides forage and cover. They can appear in great numbers across the state and the season provides intrepid anglers the opportunity to catch fish on big flies in even the tiniest of streams.
Many of the same tactics that have served you well fishing grasshoppers on bigger rivers apply when creek fishing. However, the tight confines of creeks present the angler with challenges, obstacles, and opportunities that call for a different approach. That’s when the added element of stealth becomes an integral element of fly-fishing success.
Why stealth is important on small streams
Imagine you’re a trout in a meadow creek and it’s September in Montana. You’ve subsisted on caddisflies, midges, and assorted prey throughout the season. You’ve felt the first cool nights of the season and know that winter is on its way.
Suddenly, the tall grasses that wave in the breeze above the creek are swarming with grasshoppers. An occasional gust sends a ripple across the surface of the stream and one of the giant bugs smacks to the water with a splash. That hopper represents a mass of protein that could mean the difference between surviving the winter. Are you going to rise?
While not an explicit truth, trout in small streams tend to be smaller than their big river brethren. But that doesn’t mean they behave the same way small trout behave in big rivers. In a small stream no wider than a rod length, a 10-inch trout is an apex predator. It is perfectly adapted to its environment and hyperaware of its surroundings. The moment that grasshopper hits the surface of the water a cascade of reactions occurs within that fish. If all goes well, the moment culminates with a crushing strike on the surface, a very dead hopper, and a trout that might survive the winter.
Think of small stream trout feeding on grasshoppers the way you might a crocodile lying in wait for an impala. Then consider your presence as a pride of lions approaching the watering hole. The impala scatter, the crocodile drifts below the surface and disappears. The environment has changed.
Stealth allows you to approach the stream without altering the environment and it’s critical to success when hopper fishing Montana’s small streams.
Defining stealth
Stealth as an applied approach to fly fishing can seem a bit esoteric at first glance, but it’s a basic concept when viewed through a different lens — that of hunting. Deer and elk hunters utilize stealth by employing camouflaged clothing, by masking their scent, and by moving quietly in the forest. These tactics allow the hunter to get close to their quarry. The same mindset can be applied to fly fishing, albeit in markedly different ways.
At a base level, think of stealth as a means to put yourself in the best position to catch a trout. When hopper fishing the Yellowstone River that might mean floating in a drift boat and casting toward the bank. On a small stream it could mean keeping a low profile and presenting a short cast draped over bankside vegetation. The key element to consider is the trout’s awareness of your presence.
We’ve all seen fish spook and dart for their safe spots. If your hopper pattern appears after your shadow crosses their position, or they’ve felt the vibration of your footsteps on the bank, your chances of success decrease dramatically. Stealth means approaching and presenting your fly before the fish is onto you.
Camouflage
Camouflage is an important element of stealth, and it should be considered in several different forms. While there are those who resort to hunter-style camouflage on the river (think backcountry New Zealand trout fishermen), you don’t need to dress like you’re headed elk hunting to employ camouflage when creek fishing.
Simply wearing muted colors that blend in with the natural surroundings is a good first step to employing camouflage on the river. Consider wearing tan, green or gray clothing to blend in with bankside willows and grasses. A blue sun hoodie or jacket, matching the color of the omnipresent sky, is a good bet as well.
Try to avoid bright clothing and reflective surfaces (yes, that means those cool sunglasses). Also consider your fishing rod and reel. The proliferation of equipment manufacturers has brought with it trendy rods and reels in the gaudiest array of hues. A pulsing red rod waving over the surface of a small creek might not be the best bet.
Watch your step
When we are first introduced to fishing as youngsters, stealth is simply not part of the equation. Most anglers learn to fish with conventional tackle, often lobbing a bobber and worm from the bank and waiting for a fish to bite. We are taught to walk to the water and start casting, no matter if it spooks the holding water in front of us and sends trout fleeing in all directions.
When hopper fishing small streams, that crash and cast indoctrination is a particular liability. Trout don’t have ears, they can’t hear us coming, but they do have a lateral line. A lateral line is a visible line on the side of the fish that consists of several sense organs used to detect vibrations and pressure changes. Trout use their lateral line to detect shifts in barometric pressure and the approach of predators, among other things. And in small streams, they are onto us before we even see the water.
What that means is that we need to tread lightly when fishing small streams, and by and large to stay out of the water. A heavy footstep or a ripple in the stream is like a soundwave pulsing across the landscape. A trout detects that disturbance and can tell how far away it is and from what direction it came, much the way we’d hear the sound of a gunshot in the woods during hunting season.
Use the environment to your advantage
Montana’s small creeks come in all shapes and sizes from tumbling mountain streams to serene meadow meanders. Each creek is unique, but they all possess a natural environment that the angler can use to gain an upper hand.
Small creeks in Montana are often surrounded by willows, trees, and other vegetation that rely on the water they provide. Willows are frequently large enough that they can be used as a screen to approach a creek without being detected. Simply advance with the screen between you and the holding water and make a presentation that keeps your presence hidden.
Tall grasses are another feature common to streams with copious hopper populations. Consider approaching the creek on hands and knees below the sightline of the water to make a presentation. Lob your hopper over the grass to the stream’s surface and listen – don’t look – for the sound of a strike. It’s a thrilling way to fish, and consistently successful.
Another environmental factor to consider is the presence of light and shadow. Trout in Montana face the ever-looming threat of avian predation. With high populations of ospreys and eagles patrolling the skies, trout are notably weary of passing shadows.
Sometimes the seemingly benign act of casting the shadow of a rod across the water is enough to spook a trout. Take some time to consider the way light is falling (or not) on the creek and adjust your approach and presentation accordingly.
The satisfaction of stealth
Consider stealth before ever making a cast the next time you’re out hopper fishing one of Montana’s small streams. Observe the conditions of the creek. Wear clothing that helps you blend into your surroundings. Slow down and make deliberate decisions that give you the best opportunities for success.
One of the great joys of fly fishing is advancing your skills to meet the variety of requirements a fishing situation presents. Consider practicing stealth as a learning adventure that can elevate your appreciation of the sport. As your skills improve you’ll inevitable find yourself in closer proximity to trout, which can lead you on a path to sight fishing. You’ll become more in tuned with the trout you are fishing for, and as a result more in tuned to your own presence on the water.