Hoppers are hot

[Phil Lilley]

I've been having some fun throwing hoppers along bluff banks for the past week or so. Foam hoppers, any where from 8's to 4's - big ones. Tan and pink is what I've tried and the tan seems to work better.

Had some fish come up and SLAM 'em tonight. One night brown hit it 3 times and missed every time. The first time he came all the way out of the water, hence I know it was a brown well over 20 inches.

I know where you are!

Tagged One Cast with a couple of clips tonight.

[trythisonemv]

Nice!

[Phil Lilley]

Just sent out a couple of guys and gave one of them a couple of hoppers. We'll see how they do.

I've always thrown them under the trees, closer to the bank but I've done better this summer putting them in the middle of the debry line - where the small leaves and "stuff" is moving down lake forming a line, sometimes close to the bank but most times out away from the bank as much as 20 feet. That's where the trout are holding- just under the surface inspecting the stuff on the surface.

I caught a rainbow the other day that had a Japanese beetle in the roof of his mouth. I haven't tried beetles yet.

I like fishing from Lookout down to the Narrows but have done well fishing both banks from the cable down too.

I also picked up a few rainbows fishing the "grass beds" over the flooded area above Lookout Island and across. I caught a nice 19 inch, fat rainbow last night - but didn't have the camera running. Caught it on a red/gray #12 stimulator.

Taney trout haven't hit hoppers like this since 2011... there is a common thread here. Our water temp is now at 56 and stained, not as stained as in 2011 but close. May be coincidence, may be not.

[crappie_adams83]

Sweet phill I'm going to be down there with my fishing buddy tomorrow and I think you have convinced me to bring out my fly rod what color of hoppers were you using

[Amery]

Tan and pink is what I've tried and the tan seems to work better.

Had some fish come up and SLAM 'em tonight. One night brown hit it 3 times and missed every time. The first time he came all the way out of the water, hence I know it was a brown well over 20 inches.

I know where you are!

Tagged One Cast with a couple of clips tonight.

[Guest rwolfe]

Phil,

I notice you're using a Temple Fork Outfitters fly rod in the video. The blue color of the rod looks like an Axiom series? If so, what weight are you using? How do you like it compared to the BVK series?

Edit: I looked at the video again and can see the Lef on the rod. A Lefty Kreh TiCr X Series? Have you tossed a BVK series? If so, how do they compare? Do you use the Lefty rod with a float and jig as well?

[Phil Lilley]

I have used a BVK and I like the TiCrX better, but not by much. It's a 5 wt. I use it for almost all my fly fishing here on Taney.

The spin rods we have made special for the resort in Harrison, AR. One piece.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I'll be down Labor Day weekend to check this out.

Can't wait!!

Pete

[Phil Lilley]

Went across the lake and fished the bluff. I've never caught anything over there on a dry before ON THAT BLUFF but I had 2 hookups and 4 more strikes on a cicada, black/orange. One brown and one rainbow, both about 17 inches.

This is getting fun!

[JestersHK]

Man love seeing those top water explosions. That 2nd fish smoked that hopper. Thanks for sharing, gotta get back down there!