Anyone know...?

[Flytyer317]

Hello There everyone,
I live in Northern Idaho, and my Ecology teacher told me the other day that he used to catch "tons" on trout using ant patterns, during the spring. Me and my friend rounded up some money and bought some closed cell foam to make chernobyl ants, or os I think. Our mian problem is that we have lots of ants, but have no idea when they hatch, can anyone help me out?
- Thanks Alot!

[oldfrat]

HI

One of the key principles of Fly fishing is to "match the hatch" --meaning, show the fish a fly that looks like the natural insects they are seeing in the water right now.

Ants are great flies as fish seem to like ants like we like ice cream. The best time to fish them is when the real ants are crawling around on the banks and occasionally falling in the water. Not a very effective winter fly, but great when it warms up and there are real ants crawling around.

[ELKHUNTER]

I never had much luck with ant patterns in the spring.My best luck with ants seems to be in the summer.It takes some warm days to get them moving.The later part of summer has been the best for me.I have never tried the chernobyl ant.I prefer a small flying black ant or a small hard bodied ant.I have used a red ant pattern with a little weight tied into it with great success on summer steelhead on the lower Rogue river fishing the riffles in August.

Rocky

[Steve Molcsan]

Chernobyl ants may not be what he had in mind. However this pattern sometimes works
under like conditions.

Ants can be as small as #22 but I will normally use a size 18-20 with and without wings in either red or black. Many pattern styles to choose from. They can be
real no-see-ums on the water so get your nose close to the surface to see what size and style they are.

I suppose the Chernobyl can be tied small but I will fish this pattern when hoppers are on in the larger sizes, but it may be just me..

They can be on the water anytime, don't pass up the decaying tree trunk near the bank, they tend to get knocked into the water under wind. Not near as many during cold weather but they are a year round critter. Just need to be aware that fish love em!



[This message has been edited by Steve Molcsan (edited 10 February 2005).]

[Spud]

Around here, a LOT of ants get washed into the water during rains. They get washed in by the runoff. While it's raining, or after a rain is quite often a very good time to fish with an ant pattern. I've seen the water just covered with them floating down on a couple different occasions.

------------------
"If firearms cause crimes and kill people, all of the ones I have must be defective."

Steve M. said it -- Wind....fish the ants on the lee side of the bank...they get blown in there. There are a lot of ant patterns, but any foam type is best IMHO 'cause it just won't sink.

------------------
Snow on the roof with fire in the hearth

[Flytyer37]

Ant "hatches" are generally on a very warm day, one to two days after a strong rain.
Frank Reid