Hopper Olive (3)

The Hopper Olive is a versatile dry fly pattern, often used to imitate terrestrial insects like grasshoppers. Here’s a breakdown of its key components:

• Hook: Size 10-12 medium weight wet-fly
• Thread: Olive 6/0
• Rib: Medium ice blue pearl tinsel and fine silver wire
• Legs: Knotted cock pheasant tail fibers
• Body: Dark Olive seal’s fur or substitute
• Wing: Natural CDC (Cul de Canard)
• Thorax: Dark claret seal’s fur or substitute
• Hackle: Medium brown cock hackle

Fishing Techniques

The Hopper Olive can be fished in several effective ways:

1. Dry Fly Fishing: Cast it upstream and let it drift naturally on the surface. This technique works well in rivers and streams where trout are feeding on the surface.
2. Static or Slowly Retrieved: In still waters like lakes and reservoirs, let the fly sit on the surface or retrieve it slowly to mimic a struggling insect
3. Hopper-Dropper Rig: Use the Hopper Olive as the dry fly and attach a nymph below it. This setup allows you to fish both the surface and subsurface simultaneously.

Fishing Locations in New Zealand

New Zealand offers some fantastic spots for using the Hopper Olive:

• Mohaka River: Known for its good population of trout, especially in the lower reaches
• Tongariro River: Famous for its large brown and rainbow trout, particularly during the winter spawning runs
• Lake Waikaremoana: Offers excellent dry fly and nymphing opportunities, with trout often exceeding 10 pounds

These locations provide diverse environments where the Hopper Olive can be highly effective.

Also available:

https://silvereyeflies.com/products/hopper-olive-custom-tied-dozen