Ants or Beetles

[joebamboo]

And then, there is always the "coffee bean" beetle!

 

[Bamboozle]

And then, there is always the "coffee bean" beetle!

And to continue with the bean theme, back in the day I knew a guy who tied McMurray style ants using Cannabis seeds...

After you released few trout on the reefer ants they'd be so giddy they would willing take a coffee bean beetle just to kill the buzz...

 

[jeffroey]

I also think ant. I don't seem to have any luck with a beetle but trailing a sz 18-20 ant behind a para or klink on a NE brookie stream just gets it done for me.

Sometimes it feels like the fish is hitting the larger dry and either I'm missing the take or pulling the dry out of its mouth and the ant ~12-16 inches back is just grabbing hold as the tag runs thru the fish's mouth.

Doesn't matter. I'll take an ant over a beetle any day.

 

[dryflyguy]

I also think ant. I don't seem to have any luck with a beetle but trailing a sz 18-20 ant behind a para or klink on a NE brookie stream just gets it done for me.

Sometimes it feels like the fish is hitting the larger dry and either I'm missing the take or pulling the dry out of its mouth and the ant ~12-16 inches back is just grabbing hold as the tag runs thru the fish's mouth.

Doesn't matter. I'll take an ant over a beetle any day.

Have you tried a size #18 or #20 beetle?

 

[jeffroey]

Have you tried a size #18 or #20 beetle?

I don't think I have. Easy enough to tie a few up for the next outing. I'll give it a try. Admittedly, when I tie a beetle on, it's usually a 10 or 12.

 

[caddisflyer]

Try a green weenie with a wet ant trailer sometime. Just cast it around to likely spots.

 

[Tucker733]

Try a green weenie with a wet ant trailer sometime. Just cast it around to likely spots.

I think this is the best advise for summer subsurface. I tie an epoxy ant in all black that does great behind a green weenie.

 

[JeffK]

Dry it is mainly a foam beetle. Floats better and I can see it.

Wet I usually use a #14 thread ant. I like the size 14 because that is the size of the carpenter ants where I fish. I have said many times, my summer wet fly combo on limestoners is a thread ant with a sunk trico spinner behind. The trico hatch may be short (but fun). However, they take sunk spinners after the spinner fall until about noon where I fish - gives a lot more time to fish.

Sometimes in late summer/early fall there are swarms of flying ants that get the trout going. Then it is a 20/22 winged ant dry. Generally, I don't like smaller ant patterns since I think the trout prefer carpenter ants. But there are times when a small floating ant is the ticket.

Small beetles? Sometimes the tiny jassid beetles work well. They like willows and for a change a tiny beetle under an overhanging willow tree works.

 

[jifigz]

The past two days, I caught a lot of trout.....those aren't beetles in their mouths. ANTS FTW!!!