grasshoppah

[72Twenty]

Bad for the ag industry, good for the brown trout... is there any type of fly fishing more fun than fishing grasshopper patterns?

(from today's Wyoming Business Report online)

Ag officials warn of grasshopper plague

CHEYENNE — Cue the scary music. Duh-dum, duh-dum, duh-dum...

You think the jaws of a great white shark are scary? Try a gajillion grasshoppers chewing through the agricultural fields of Wyoming this spring.

That’s the threat, according to the Wyoming Department of Agriculture. Hank Uhden, manager of technical services for the department, warned the Joint Appropriations Committee last week that conditions are right for a grasshopper population explosion – unless the state can pony up more money for emergency insect management.

The Agriculture Department is penciled in for $2.5 million for insect management under Governor Dave Freudenthal’s proposed budget, but that’s targeted against mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus. The department leadership maintains they need more money to tackle the looming grasshopper problem.

The Joint Appropriations Committee is reviewing agency budgets prior to the Legislature's 20-day budget session that begins Feb. 8.

[schwerty]

Nohing like dreaming of hopper fishing in January!

[72Twenty]

schwerty, if this happens the way they say, I know a nice little spot on the Sweetwater River near Lander (off of South Pass) that will be BIG rainbow and brown trout hopper fishing HEAVEN...

[Underoos]

Didn't this happen last summer in southern MT? I remember hearing of the swarms but never heard about epic fishing. Too much of a good thing? Hell, there could be sparrows throwing themselves in the water but if the fish aren't eating them it doesn't really matter.

[WyoWill]

The worst thing about Alaska . . . sigh . . . is the lack of hoppers.

[Denny1969]

Nohing like dreaming of hopper fishing in January!

Yep. I hate having to put cheater glasses on now to thread up a size 22 midge that I can't even see on the water.

If those hoppers make it to the fisheries, expect to see some big trout go stupid.

Dennis

[schwerty]

schwerty, if this happens the way they say, I know a nice little spot on the Sweetwater River near Lander (off of South Pass) that will be BIG rainbow and brown trout hopper fishing HEAVEN...

I love that river! Shoot me a PM or holler at me when you wanna go.

Didn't this happen last summer in southern MT? I remember hearing of the swarms but never heard about epic fishing. Too much of a good thing? Hell, there could be sparrows throwing themselves in the water but if the fish aren't eating them it doesn't really matter.

This may be true but I'll be out there anyway.

[schwerty]

Yep. I hate having to put cheater glasses on now to thread up a size 22 midge that I can't even see on the water.

If those hoppers make it to the fisheries, expect to see some big trout go stupid.

Dennis

I hear ya, Dennis! I couldn't handle work yesterday afternoon and since my vice and tying gear are only five feet from my desk, I busted it out and called it a day at 1:30 yesterday. I thought I'd attempt to remember some of the midge patterns I used to tie. Fuck, those things are a pain without cheaters! Spun some streamers instead. Today, I will take lunch tying hoppers, dreaming of August.

[LukeS]

If its anything like last summer the N. Platte will be fishing stupid too.
Last summer was the first time I ever caught a fish on a hopper on the platte. It was also a 22 inch rainbow chompin like mad.
So bring it on!

[72Twenty]

LukeS - good hopper fishing might even bring up some of those monster browns in the N. Platte... we know they are in there...

[LukeS]

oh man you know they are in there. Sounds like this spring they might spill pathfinder. Which means:
water will be in the grass up there= Hoppah fishing to spawning browns moving into the mile=Funnest thing I have ever done!
If this all happens, fishing on the North Platte this spring/summer is going to be STOOOOPID

[Underoos]

oh man you know they are in there. Sounds like this spring they might spill pathfinder. Which means:
water will be in the grass up there= Hoppah fishing to spawning browns moving into the mile=Funnest thing I have ever done!
If this all happens, fishing on the North Platte this spring/summer is going to be STOOOOPID

Browns are fall spawners.

Sounds like fun though.

[hartzejr]

The worst thing about Alaska . . . sigh . . . is the lack of hoppers.

Screw the hoppers. I'd love to have some Brown trout up here.

[LukeS]

Browns are fall spawners.

Sounds like fun though.

Shit. Good catch. I guess I didn't even think about what I was writing. The only time I had ever done it was in the fall so I guess I was relating to that. I'm sure there will be some big ol rainbows in there though.


I apologize for my jongness...

[72Twenty]

I apologize for my jongness...

Aren't you a guide and work in a fly shop?

[steved]

Screw the hoppers. I'd love to have some Brown trout up here.

..AK's not the only place....so many spring-fed and cold ponds/lakes where brookies get to ~14" tops up here...16"+ browns that wouldn't be caught and have to be "replaced" each year would be an improvement and something that would make more domesticated but clean ponds/lakes' properties worth something....

[WyoWill]

Screw the hoppers. I'd love to have some Brown trout up here.

..AK's not the only place....so many spring-fed and cold ponds/lakes where brookies get to ~14" tops up here...16"+ browns that wouldn't be caught and have to be "replaced" each year would be an improvement and something that would make more domesticated but clean ponds/lakes' properties worth something....

Gotta disagree with both of you. I miss hopper fishing, but in no way was insinuating that introducing browns (or hoppers for that matter) would be a good idea. We have plenty of bitchen fish that get way bigger than brown trout and are way more eager to take flies in AK already. Introduced species, such as Atlantic salmon in AK which are somewhat similar biologically to brown trout, only drag down the native fish. As for Maine, go chase some Atlantics if you want big fish, since they're native to your area and all. Fall hopper fishing is awesome, but that has nothing to do with hauling exotic fish all over the place.

[steved]

Browns have been planted in the whole NE and have saved quality trout flyfishing on many streams where brookies got caught out lonnnnnnnnnng time ago. That's the only thing I was talkin'. Don't know where you're coming from WyoWill. Just like bows, they're a lot more fun to fish for than brooktrout.

[WyoWill]

Browns have been planted in the whole NE and have saved quality trout flyfishing on many streams where brookies got caught out lonnnnnnnnnng time ago. That's the only thing I was talkin'. Don't know where you're coming from WyoWill. Just like bows, they're a lot more fun to fish for than brooktrout.

I guess I just have a different definition of "saved." I certainly claim no great expertise on eastern brook trout issues, but will note that this study (PDF) sites poor land management and non-native fish, respectively, as the key reasons for the brook trout decline and current low populations levels.