​Beetle Juice & Chocolate Ants

For some reason, when it comes to the fly fishing world the beetle and a small ant are often overlooked as a viable fly fishing offering, many folks favoring throwing large Chernobyl’s and the like. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Chernobyl’s and similarly large fly fishing flies, but they are not right for every situation.

Beetles & Ants, June - September

In my opinion having a small assortment of some small ants and beetles are an absolutely must have in your fly fishing box. I don’t go out in June, July, August, and September without them. With the nice splash down on the water and buggy silhouette, fish find these patterns irresistible.

This is a really good, non-hatch specific pattern that fish will feed on year round.

The other nice thing about these bugs, there’s not an endless array of colors and sizes you have to ponder and choose. Beetles are black. There’s a couple varieties of ants, but nothing like having multiple stages and sizes of a mayfly. 

You fish these exactly how you suspect…..against a bank, under a low handing tree and around brush. I promise you, your fishing success will definitely improve.

These patterns are not just for trout. 

Try them for panfish. Many times I will take my young daughters fly fishing for panfish. It’s good action that keeps their attention, and less technical. I’ll rig up a beetle on a 3wt and sit back and watch the show. The girls get good fly fishing casting practice in, good hook setting practice and most importantly….they have a blast. 

Make yourself a nice picnic lunch and you can have a great few hours on a small pond with the kids. 

Tight Lines and Screaming Drags