Flying Ant, Holsinger's Fly Shop, Episode 528

Ants are a staple for summertime trout here in my area of Central Pennsylvania. Once the weather starts to warm up the ants and other terrestrials start moving around and often end up falling into the streams making easy targets for hungry trout. In the middle of May every year anytime I get to close to a tree along the stream I always have ants crawling on me that fall out of the trees. Ant patterns both dry and wet like nymphs are also killers anytime you fish a stream with heavy vegetation like grass that hangs over the stream. I recently got to fish the upper end of the Harpster Farm on Spruce Creek which flows through a big grassy meadow. After trying a few other patterns I tied on an ant and started catching fish right away. Pay attention to the environment around you and use it to your advantage.
You can definitely tie this pattern without the wings. The wings just help make it a little more visible. If you need any of the materials to tie this pattern or other, please go to www.holsingers... for all you tying needs. Thanks for watching and supporting our channel and shop for all these years.
-Shawn
Materials List:
HFS All Purpose Nymph Size 16
UTC Ultra Thread 140 Denier Black
2mm Craft Foam Black
Self Pattern Blends Hellgrammite
EP Fibers Trigger Point White
Dark Colored Dry Fly Hackle

[@bobmatuzak2263]

Love those ants in the summer. And that looks like a winner. In my experience, the white wing doesn’t even put the fish off on a sunken ant like that. You mentioned this time of year you are focusing on smallmouth, me to. How about a video talking about favorite smallmouth patterns and tactics. It’s always, I appreciate your efforts.

[@HolsingersFlyShop]

Thanks Bob!!! I love smallie fishing because I mainly swing streamers and dead drift nymphs, which is very similar to swinging wet flies which is the original way I was taught to fly fish 30 some years ago.

[@charlessimons9503]

Thanks Shawn! It is the season for ants and Walt’s worm or green weenie.

[@HolsingersFlyShop]

It's always Walts Worm time!!! And you are correct green weenies slay this time of year. I was out with clients last week early in the morning trying to figure the trout out and tied on a greenie weenie. Within a few casts we had a trout on.

[@brianfeeney9493]

Fab 🎉 Shawn 🎉 Thanks Brother !!!! ☀️🎣💫

[@HolsingersFlyShop]

Thanks Brian!!

[@jamesvatter5729]

Those ants catch a lot of pan fish too.

[@HolsingersFlyShop]

yes they do and its kind of like cheating now because they are on their beds and very protective right now.

[@burtonbrocious171]

Nice ant shawn ants make trout say uncle 😊

[@HolsingersFlyShop]

Also great to drop a small nymph under