Slender meadow katydid (Conocephalus fasciatus)
This is not an adult; it’s a mid-range instar (aka nymph, aka baby). You can tell because it has no wings — adults have long, reddish wings which extend past the end of their body. In a couple more molts/instars, the wings will emerge!
This tiny little creature (about 5mm long) took a ride on my kayak, possibly in return for photos. He/she jumped on about mid-ride, and hung out until we took the kayaks out of the water at the end of the trip.
Slender meadow katydids live throughout the US and Canada, eating grass and grass seedheads. They “sing”, like crickets do, making a sequence of alternating ticks and buzzes.
Slender meadow katydid (Conocephalus fasciatus)
For reference, that rope he’s sitting on is a 1/4″ wide kayak bungee.