Chernobyl ant??

[drumat26]

Tied some Chernobyl ants last night. Anybody have success with them at all? I don't usually have much luck with terrestrials but im hoping to change that. Also tied some caddis, pt nymphs, and some ants. Hope I can get out for some trout soon.

 

[jdh2550]

I use ants, hoppers, crickets and beetles for a good portion of the summer with very good success in my opinion. The trick I have found is to keep the casts close to the bank. If they refuse your fly try to make your terrestrial but the water a little bit harder. Seems to entice a strike at times.

 

[dryflyguy]

While preparing for a trip to the green river in utah, I read about chernobyl ants being a hot fly there. So, I tied some on #10 long shank hooks. And did pretty well on them. That was 10 - 15 years ago now, and I really haven't tried them anywhere else.
Although, I have read - and heard - reports from others about having some success with them here in PA.
Should be worth a try I guess

 

[MKern]

Not necessarily Chernobyl ant but I have a ton of success with a black foam ant most of the warmer months.

Just a tiny strip of craft foam tied to a size 16 hook with a a few legs tied in.

Usually I fish it behind a dry fly indicator because it will sink just below the surface. Usually there is a fish interested within 2 seconds of it hitting the water.

 

[drumat26]

Thanks mkern, so do you fish it on a dropper set up? Just making sure i understand. How long of a drop leader do you use?

Thanks to everyone else for your input too

 

[sipe]

I fish ants and other really small or hard to see dries as a dropper as well. I like to fish them about 15-20" behind a big visible dry like a hopper or high profile hackled fly like a wulff style or elk hair caddis.

 

[MKern]

Yeah I drop it off a bushy dry fly or a parachute with a orange or yellow chute.

Usually there's about a foot between the two.

You can fish it solo but it is hard to detect strikes over ten feet away.


As a side note: I was always skeptical about ants and their productivity, but in June I catch a ton of fish with them.

 

[LetortAngler]

Every now and then when the fish are not hitting the norms , sometimes a big Chernobyl ant is just the trick to entice a strike. I think it's all about location when fishing terretrials, look ahead for the large branch overhanging the stream, plop a Crowe Beetle or Ant under (closer to the bank) ,bridges are also good locations.

 

[Fishidiot]

While I don't use the exact Chernobyl Ant pattern, I do fish a lot of foam hoppers and crickets with considerable success. This fly, based on it's size, is really more analogous to a cricket rather than an ant.

 

[mario66pens]

I'm not a big fan of chernobyls (or foam in general) But for sure it is closer to a hopper

Wet ants are my go to, I fish them just like I generally fish a soft hackle, cast upstream, mend accordingly, and watch the fly line tip for any movement.