This past Tuesday (9/22) found me at the Bliss Pool at 5:15. It was a strange day. I remembered that it was 31 years ago, almost to the hour, where I was cut out of a crushed Toyota and then spent three weeks watching a hospital TV. The Bliss Pool is a much better place to be.I realized as I hit the river's edge that this would be a special night. The top half of the pool was alive with RISING TROUT. I could see an insect on the surface or more accurately I could see HUNDREDS of insects on the surface. At first and from a distance they looked like small BWO's but close inspection revealed ANTS, red ants, about size 18. I had some ants in that size (a lesson that I learned on the Farmington: bring ants) but they were black.
It didn't matter because it was one trout after another. As dark began to fall the ants disappeared but the trout continued to rise at the very head of the pool. On went a #14 Isonychia to finish the evening.
All told I took a dozen, all 'bows except for two browns. It was my best night yet on this beautiful river.
The ants - No chernybols here. You need it small with a dubbed body. Also, these were winged ants. My ant is tied with a dubbed body with a tight "waist". Two turns of body matching hackle at the waist with a small pair of blue dun hackle points for wings. It almost looks real.
Ken
4 comments:
I THOUGHT I saw some flying ants on Tuesday while I was at practice at the Smith athletic fields. Any chance you could post a picture of your ant? I think I've got the idea of what it looks like but a picture would be helpful. Thanks!
Casey
Casey,
I'll try to post an ant photo but my equipment is limited for such a small fly. Maybe I'll tie up a size 8 and snap a photo.
Ken
Hey Guys! Being in the pest control industry, I would guess that those ants were citronella ants.They swarm almost every year at this time with the warm days and cool nights.They do not last very long and most likely will not swarm like that again.Google citronella ants and see if that was it.You will not have an ant hatch but you will have a swarm.
Paul,
THANK YOU for solving a ten year mystery for me! I once stumbled on a "hill" of these critters in early Oct. I picked one up and noticed the lemony smell. I had never encountered them before. The ants on the Westfield were smaller and didn't have the lemon smell.
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