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Insect Family Formicidae (Ants)

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» Family Formicidae (Ants)
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Ants are one of the best-known terrestrial (Terrestrial: Insects which live on land and are fed on by trout only when they incidentally fall into the water are known as "terrestrials" to fly anglers, and they're very important in late summer.) food sources for trout. Wingless ants often stumble by accident into the water, making them a very common "occasional" item on the trout's menu. Imitations of these unlucky critters make excellent searching patterns (Searching pattern: Any artificial fly pattern used when trout that aren't feeding selectively on anything in particular. A searching pattern may be an attractor or an imitation of something specific that the fish might favor even though it's not currently hatching.) in mid- to late summer.

The real fun with ants, however, comes from the mating swarms of winged species. They are spotty and hard to predict, but when they happen to fall over the water they can draw more trout activity than all but the best hatches of huge mayflies.

Formicidae Fly Fishing Tips


Ant imitations are effective above and below the surface.

A heavy fall of ants will make trout extremely selective to their distinct form, and smoothly tapered mayfly imitations in the correct size and color are likely to be rejected on account of their shape.

Pictures of 5 Ant Specimens:

Specimen Page:12
Formicidae (Ants) Ant AdultFormicidae (Ants) Insect Adult View 7 PicturesI collected this flying ant from the surface of a popular Catskill trout stream, where its species prompted steady rising from selective trout for several late-morning hours. It was mixed with smaller ants of a different color, and I photographed one of them too.
Collected September 5, 2006 from the Neversink River in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on October 3, 2006
Formicidae (Ants) Ant AdultFormicidae (Ants) Insect Adult View 3 PicturesThis tiny size 24 flying ant was mixed with a larger variety (see this specimen) falling on the surface of a Catskill river. The trout seemed to respond well to ants of both sizes.
Collected September 5, 2006 from the Neversink River in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on October 3, 2006
Formicidae (Ants) Ant AdultFormicidae (Ants) Insect Adult View 2 PicturesThese are very large carpenter and a common terrestrial (Terrestrial: Insects which live on land and are fed on by trout only when they incidentally fall into the water are known as "terrestrials" to fly anglers, and they're very important in late summer.) insect along mountain trout streams
Collected June 6, 2011 from the Touchet River in Washington
Added to Troutnut.com by Bnewell on June 26, 2011
Specimen Page:12

3 Streamside Pictures of Ants:

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An ant struggles to escape the surface of a Catskill stream. The black dot on the right is the ant's shadow on a rock on the bottom. I can see how this would appeal to a trout. Even I kind of want to eat the thing. In this picture: Insect Family Formicidae (Ants). From the Beaverkill River, Horton Bridge Pool in New York.
An ant struggles to escape the surface of a Catskill stream. The black dot on the right is the ant's shadow on a rock on the bottom. I can see how this would appeal to a trout. Even I kind of want to eat the thing.

In this picture: Insect Family Formicidae (Ants).
StateNew York
LocationBeaverkill River, Horton Bridge Pool
Date TakenApr 16, 2005
Date AddedFeb 2, 2006
AuthorTroutnut
CameraCanon EOS 20D
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Given their home on a mossy stump in the stream bed, these light orange ants probably end up in the stream from time to time. In this picture: Insect Family Formicidae (Ants). From Mystery Creek # 62 in New York.
Given their home on a mossy stump in the stream bed, these light orange ants probably end up in the stream from time to time.

In this picture: Insect Family Formicidae (Ants).
StateNew York
Date TakenSep 18, 2006
Date AddedOct 4, 2006
AuthorTroutnut
CameraPENTAX Optio WPi
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This winged ant was on a mossy rock in the middle of a small stream. In this picture: Insect Family Formicidae (Ants). From Rondout Creek in New York.
This winged ant was on a mossy rock in the middle of a small stream.

In this picture: Insect Family Formicidae (Ants).
StateNew York
LocationRondout Creek
Date TakenSep 9, 2006
Date AddedOct 4, 2006
AuthorTroutnut
CameraPENTAX Optio WPi

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