What's your favorite terrestrial??

ryguyfi

ryguyfi

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Oct 18, 2006
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I put a poll up a while ago but it's never posted so I figured I'd just ask on here.


1. Ant
2. Grasshopper
3. Worm (green weenie, sjw)
4. Cricket
5. Freshwater shrimp
6. Dragonfly
7. Beetle
8. Other


Why do you like them and what's your favorite pattern/time of year/presentation for them??
 
No question. Ant. Why do I like them? Because trout love them. Everywhere. Usually only fish them in summer and fall, but only because "that's the rules" - no, seriously, there are a lot of mayflies/caddis around in the spring that are fun to fish with, but ants would probably work almost any time. Normally fish them dry, but starting to fish them wet more often, and guess what? Trout love them under the water too! Favorite pattern is a parachute ant with a hi-vis post. Sits low in the water for the trout to see, and has a bright post for my eyes to see. In clear calm water with picky trout I'll use one without a post, just hackle.
 
I like hoppers.

Why?--

1. Big meal; big trout;
2. Easy to float a nymph under;
3. Plop!


PS, Is a freshwater shrimp really a terrrestrial. That one needs re-thunk.
 
yeah i thought about it before i listed it, not sure if i'm right or not, but not sure what other category it would fall under....
 
Foam ant is my favorite terrestrial.

I don't consider green weenies a terrestrial, but they definitely get more fishing time than the ants do... however, I'll take a trout on a dry anytime.

Take a small strip of foam. Lash it to the hook in two spots, making three segments. Done.

I also use the same foam to make beetles, my second favorite terrestrial. Lash the foam down the shank of the hook... into a tight cylinder, leaving about a inch long tag end out past the bend. Wrap peacock herl up the shank to make a fat shiny underbody. Then figure eight wrap a few strands of elk hair over that. Pull the foam forward and tie off a head. Color the elk hair with a black marker.

It SLAYS bass and sunnies, as well as trout.


Don't mean to hijack, but if people could share some good spider/hopper patterns for PA, it would be awesome.
 
ryguyfi wrote:
yeah i thought about it before i listed it, not sure if i'm right or not, but not sure what other category it would fall under....
Click to expand...

They are crustaceans. I faced the same dilemma in categorizing the freshwater shrimp tied for the 2007 Swap. I put it in my miscellaneous category.
 
I LOVE dave's hopper

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/intermediate/part31.html

I tied one the other day in green. But the only one's I've used I bought. Brown and yellow one KILLED some smallmouth for me. Still a bit of a complicated tie for me as a beginner but it didn't turn out so bad. I def feel that a down eye rather than a straight eye is good for this. I like to make a quick jerk to get a good hop on it. Def got the smallie's attention. Caught a few nice sized browns on them too.
 
ryguyfi wrote:
I LOVE dave's hopper

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/intermediate/part31.html

I tied one the other day in green. But the only one's I've used I bought. Brown and yellow one KILLED some smallmouth for me. Still a bit of a complicated tie for me as a beginner but it didn't turn out so bad. I def feel that a down eye rather than a straight eye is good for this. I like to make a quick jerk to get a good hop on it. Def got the smallie's attention. Caught a few nice sized browns on them too.
Click to expand...

The one fly I'd much rather purchase than tie, the "Dave's Hopper."

I was planning to post the same link to the flyanglersonline instructions.


But I like them with the simulated hind legs, so you'll want to add them as are pictured here:
Daves_Hopper_M.gif
 
Thats how I tie them...just like above. Never even bothered trying another variation.
 
Now your talkin! Terrestrail are my favorites!

Favorites

1.. orange ant
2.. Crowe bettle
3.. Black ants, I like Schroeder's black parachute ants, easier for me to see!
4.. Letort hoppers and Dave's hoppers
 
Foam beetle - works year round.
 
The black thread ant. Sinking ants work better for me.
 
Black ant with hackle at midshank. As John Gierach say, trout candy!
Coughlin
 
Paul G won't let me say...

it's a #18 orange (Hairline#01) ant with white hackle
 
Dear ryguyfi.

My favorites are beetles, either foam or deerhair Crowe beetles, foam ants, and Letort Crickets.

I can honestly say that in PA I have only caught one trout on a grasshopper, and it was a parachute hopper that I bought on a Colorado trip that was being used as a strike indicator on a two nymph dropper rig. They simply aren't common trout food on the streams I fish. The crickets work much better for me. If I fished more open meadow type streams maybe the hoppers would work?

I have also caught more than a few fish on big, ugly, Chernobyl ants and BLT's. They don't look like anything but the trout don't seem to mind.

Regards,
Tim Murphy :)
 
Foam beetle for the same reason as Fishidiot; they do work all year round AND a foam bee/yellow jacket.

I BEEcame a BEEliever after seeing my buddy nail a 20+ inch fish at Falling Spring on one and I have KILLED the fish at Clarks on them too.
 
I have caught lots of fish on deer hair beetles and ants.
I usually start with a #14 crowe beetle, and if they don't take it, I'll go to a smaller - #16 - #18 black deer hair ant
 
Black Deerhair Carpenter Ant, #12

Sinking Green Inchworm
 
http://wolftracksfly.tripod.com/flies.htm
Terrestrials are hands down my favorite as well. Spun deer hair beetle has truly amazed me. Only know 2 men that can cut them properly. Thing about these beetles is when held in a fishtank you can see the hairs on the bottom holding tiny bubbles of air underneath.
Large or small trout, native brookie stream or the Breeches when the parking lot is full, trout come to them when the ant, the cricket, and the hopper just get inspected and passed by. Hopefully the link will be posted but he probably likes tying these least of all. Evidently trimming them is a bit of a chore.
 
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