Dry FliesBakko's Phat Azz Hopper
Bakko's Phat Azz Hopper is a highly realistic grasshopper pattern designed by Colorado guide Kyle Bakko specifically for float fishing with dry/dropper rigs. This innovative foam hopper features a multi-layered laminated foam body that creates a substantial profile while maintaining excellent buoyancy. The combination of Sexi-Floss legs, Voodoo Fiber underwing, and Razor Foam details creates an irresistible terrestrial pattern that has proven effective on Western rivers.
Summer, Fall
Advanced
Trout
Dec 2025
Overview
This Charlie Craven pattern from Charlie's Fly Box showcases Kyle Bakko's innovative approach to hopper design for practical fishing applications. Kyle developed this pattern while guiding float trips where clients needed a buoyant indicator fly that could support a heavy nymph dropper. The "Phat Azz" name refers to the substantial three-layer laminated foam body that provides exceptional flotation. The use of specialized foam cutting tools like the River Road Creations Beavertail Foam Cutter helps achieve the consistent body shape that makes this pattern so effective.
Materials
Hook: Tiemco 2457, #6-12
Thread: Magpie Materials 110-denier or Veevus 8/0, brown
Body: Thin Fly Foam, 2mm, three laminated layers (cut with River Road Creations Beavertail Foam Cutter)
Underwing: Micro Barred Voodoo Fibers, olive or tan (Hareline)
Shell: Razor Foam, 1mm, tan
Sighter: Razor Foam, 1mm, orange
Thighs: Razor Foam, 1mm, tan
Front Legs: Sexi-Floss, medium, tan
Kicker Legs: Sexi-Floss, small, red
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Large grasshoppers land heavily on water surfaces with audible splats, immediately struggling with powerful leg kicks that propel them in erratic patterns. Their size makes them visible from great distances both above and below the surface, and trout will abandon feeding stations to intercept these high-calorie prey items, often racing upstream toward the splash sound and creating explosive strikes that fully breach the surface in pursuit of escaping hoppers attempting to jump back to shore.
Where Trout Eat It: Float-trip trout rise opportunistically along grassy banks, taking either hopper or nymph dropper. The three-layer foam keeps heavy rigs floating while creating substantial surface silhouette.
How to Fish It: Fish as indicator in hopper-dropper rigs. The foam platform suspends size 16-20 beadhead droppers 18-30 inches below with minimal false casting.
Best Water: Focus on float-trip bank lines with grassy margins and moderate runs (2-5 feet).
Strike Type: Expect explosive surface takes as large trout attack the bulky hopper with full commitment. The heavy splat of the pattern landing often triggers immediate strikes from nearby fish.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Fish on a 9-foot leader tapering to 3X-4X tippet. The exceptional buoyancy allows this pattern to support heavy nymph droppers (size 16-20 beadheads) without compromising the drift.
Seasonal Timing: and early fall when grasshopper activity peaks. Prime time is mid-morning through late afternoon when hoppers are most active along grassy riverbanks.
Pro Tips: The substantial profile makes this pattern easy to track even in choppy water.
Entomology
Large grasshoppers land heavily on water surfaces with audible splats, immediately struggling with powerful leg kicks that propel them in erratic patterns. Their size makes them visible from great distances both above and below the surface, and trout will abandon feeding stations to intercept these high-calorie prey items, often racing upstream toward the splash sound and creating explosive strikes that fully breach the surface in pursuit of escaping hoppers attempting to jump back to shore.
- Order
- Orthoptera
- Family
- Acrididae
- Common Name
- Grasshopper
- Organism Type
- terrestrial
- Life Stage
- adult