San Juan ant fall

Bubba_Smith · July 15, 2008, 3:12am

Every year, sometime in July, it rains hard enough to move carpenter ants out of their dens, and alot of them get into the river.
In a word, nuts. Fish get in a frenzy for anything black and big (1"to 2") on top. I have fished many a good willow fly hatch, but noting compares to what happens here when the ants fall.
73 landed today, before 1pm, average was around 19 inches.
Fishing will be pretty good still, fishing ants, for about 10 days or so.
If you can, get here.

Bubba Smith

JohnScott · July 15, 2008, 3:27am

Fascinating.

Wild_One · July 15, 2008, 1:28pm

PICS!!!
PICS!!!

would love to see some of those 19 inch ave (whihc means some were bigger!) San Juan brownies and would also love to see some of those big ants!

Thanks for the report

Gnu_Bee_Flyer · July 15, 2008, 1:32pm

I probably shouldn’t admit to doing this, but the statute of limitations has surely run out by now and I haven’t done it in at least 45 years.

When I was a teenager back in the 1960s we would find a carpenter ant colony. You give it a good kick or two then stand back as they came boiling out of the mound. When the ground was alive with thousands of them we’d scoop up a shovel full of the nest overburden, ants and all. You’d wade out then carefully place them on a mid stream rock. Preferably a low flat rock that just barely sticks out of the water. With the ants running furiously around and the waves from the stream lapping the rock soon they would start floating one by one downstream. There you’d be with your ant patterns fishing the first big pool. It would only take a few minutes before the fish started to key in on them. We had many an awesome day of fishing using that technique.

I wonder how PETA feels about ants? People for the ethical treatment of ants?

CO_Flyfisher · July 15, 2008, 8:30pm

So that’s how the San Juan Shuffle got started???

Bubba_Smith · July 15, 2008, 10:59pm

Sorry guys camera has been ordered, just waiting for the big brown truck. Could tell stories all day on all the interesting shuffling I have witnessed. And a few of them were guides!
By the way, did real well again today.

dubbinfly · July 16, 2008, 4:08am

Gnu_Bee_Flyer:

I probably shouldn’t admit to doing this, but the statute of limitations has surely run out by now and I haven’t done it in at least 45 years.

When I was a teenager back in the 1960s we would find a carpenter ant colony. You give it a good kick or two then stand back as they came boiling out of the mound. When the ground was alive with thousands of them we’d scoop up a shovel full of the nest overburden, ants and all. You’d wade out then carefully place them on a mid stream rock. Preferably a low flat rock that just barely sticks out of the water. With the ants running furiously around and the waves from the stream lapping the rock soon they would start floating one by one downstream. There you’d be with your ant patterns fishing the first big pool. It would only take a few minutes before the fish started to key in on them. We had many an awesome day of fishing using that technique.

I wonder how PETA feels about ants? People for the ethical treatment of ants?

I can just see it all unfolding, you grinnin like the Chessire Cat as the ants start foating your way.sounds like way to much fun