Jeff Samsel: A major appeal of the Rebel Trout Trek – the cross-country trout fishing journey I’ll soon be making with my 10-year-old son Asher – is that we’ll mostly be fishing waters that neither of us have ever even seen. From a realistic standpoint,
that means I really don’t know how the fish will act, what waters will look like, or which lures will perform.
That said, I’ve dreamed about places like the Madison, Provo and North Platte rivers for years and have read quite a bit about them, and I’ve spent an enormous amount of time fishing for trout with Rebel Lures in other parts of the country. Therefore, I have definite ideas about patterns that should produce, including a few things that I am extra excited to try.
Topping that list is the hopper bite. Many of the streams where we will spend the most time get fished mostly by fly anglers, and from mid-summer though early fall, when the fish feed heavily on displaced terrestrial insects, fly fishermen turn largely to grasshopper imitating fly patterns, which they dead drift or twitch on the surface near grassy banks.
Based in my experience with eastern trout and smallmouth bass, I suspect the western brown trout will annihilate Crickhoppers, Bighoppers and Micro Crickhoppers. The silhouette is similar to a quality fly pattern or a natural grasshopper, and I believe Asher and I can make more efficient casts and get better action than can be managed with most flies. If I’m right, we’ll unlock explosive action and some of the most fun trout fishing I’ve ever encountered.
– See more at: http://www.rebellures.com/journal/rebel-trout-trek-anticipated-patterns/#sthash.thbeyja9.dpuf