You know, if there's one fly that's saved my bacon more times than I can count when the summer doldrums hit, it's gotta be the Clod Hopper. I mean, it's not fancy or anything, but man does it ever fool those dumb trout when the real hoppers start tumbling into the water around July.

Let me tell you how I tie these things - and honestly, I've messed this up enough times to know what works. First off, you gotta start with a good strong hook, nothing wimpy. I usually go with size 8, but anywhere between 6 and 12'll do depending on how big those hoppers are jumping around your local waters. The real trick though? That foam body. I like using two different colors - maybe tan and olive - because if you've ever really looked at a grasshopper up close (and I have, way too many times waiting for fish to bite), they've got this sort of segmented look to 'em.

Now here's where most folks go wrong - they skimp on the legs. You gotta use that good stretchy rubber leg material, the kind that really kicks when you give it a little twitch. One time I was fishing the Madison in August and I swear, it was the slight jiggle of those legs that made the difference between a slow day and limiting out. And don't forget the wing! I prefer elk hair myself, but some of the new synthetic stuff works almost as good and lasts longer.

What's crazy is how dumb fish can be about this thing. I mean, it barely looks like a real hopper if you hold it in your hand, but chuck it near some overhanging grass on a hot afternoon? Boom. Fish just lose their minds. I think it's the way it sits in the water - that foam keeps it riding high like the real thing, and when one of those dumb hoppers actually falls in, they don't exactly look graceful, you know? More like a little splat and then kinda bobbing there. That's why I always give my Clod Hopper a couple little pops when it hits - mimics that struggling motion perfect.

Best spots? Anywhere you see grass right up to the bank. I've had stupid good days just working the edges where the current swings those fake hoppers into the feeding lanes. Late summer evenings especially, when the real ones get clumsy from the heat. Only mistake I see guys make is fishing it too fast - these ain't minnows, they're dumb insects that fell in by accident. Let it sit, twitch it gentle, and hold on tight when that big brown comes up looking for an easy meal.