Read any fishing report in the West these days and the hype is all about the great fishing right now with grasshoppers. Break through the hype with these three quick tips to get more from your fly fishing with grasshoppers on a river or stream near you. And, fly fishing with grasshoppers isn't just a Western thing, many streams in the Southeast and Midwest can also have some great fly fishing with grasshoppers in late summer.

Twitch it a little. Once you have chosen your favorite grasshopper pattern now it is time give it the best chance to catch a fish. Grasshoppers don't like to be on the water. So give the fly some action. Try a slow drag or a subtle pop. A little movement can sometimes cause a big strike.

Fish a stouter leader. your leader. Grasshopper patterns tend to be bulkier than other patterns. And, often times the best grasshopper action occurs on windy days when the bugs are being blown into the water. For the best success choose leader that is nothing weaker than 4X, with 1X and 2X being the most common. By choosing a stronger leader the fly will cast better and land where you want it to land.

Better living through chemistry. Use a floatant and a drying powder or dry shake. By combing the two can give your hopper the best chance to stay afloat. The best grasshopper anglers also pre-treat their flies the night before by dipping them in a liquid floatant and allowing the chemistry to work and seal the fly as best as possible. When fishing the drying powder is used when the fly becomes too wet to float. Give it a shake, re-apply the liquid or gel floatant and get back to fishing.

We wish it were, but fishing grasshoppers is not as simple as grabbing a bunch of big ass dry flies and hoping for the best. A little more skill and thought is required.

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