Flying Black Ant Dry Fly

Being a flyfisherman, I always try to match the hatch with any of my dry flies. Wouldn't be perfect if we could always do this ? So on those days when we sit and wait stream side, just waiting for the afternoon hatch, and then try to catch a live fly, and then as best I can try to use the proper imitation. Even then we all have days with little or no results.

Sometimes using terrestrial patterns can break the attempt at matching a mayfly hatch. In some parts of the world grass hopper patterns are all the rage. By far the most successful fly I've ever used as a terrestrial imitation is a flying black ant imitation. One of my favorite places to go to is the Farmington River in New Hartford Connecticut, and I’ve had a great deal of success using this fly. During the early season, say before June, I can usually get one or two good fish each time I go out using this pattern. Although not really matching a hatch per say that time of year, I think it is just the carnivorous nature of the trout to go after the fly in the early season. As summer progresses the number of terrestrials naturally increases, as does their abundance on the water. By late summer to early fall the ants arrive in great numbers and the trout tend to have a real appetite. In general my success has been with using size #14 or size #16, tied onto either a 6X or 7X tippet. At times in fall I’ll have to go down to a size #18 just due at times to lower water conditions or just an overall greater selectivity by the fish. Overall when dry fly-fishing, I tend to catch the same number of trout with ant patterns as I do with all other dry fly patterns combined !