Dave's Hopper

Dave’s Hopper, created by the legendary fly tyer and angler Dave Whitlock in the 1950s, is one of the most influential and widely used grasshopper patterns in fly fishing history. Designed to imitate large, buoyant hoppers found in meadows and riverbanks, this pattern was born out of Whitlock’s desire to create a more realistic and durable alternative to the traditional Muddler Minnow-based hopper patterns of the time.

Bank Bomber: Cast tight to grassy undercuts or overhanging brush and let it land with an audible “plop.” The sound mimics a real hopper falling in and often triggers immediate strikes. Let it sit motionless for a few seconds before twitching it once—just like a disoriented insect.