TerrestrialbeginnerMidwest & Driftless
Flying Ant
Flybox sourcing profile
No TWG price or checkout is active. Use this page to validate the fly, then source it through the mapped tier or trusted fly shops.
Available Sizes#14 - #20
Color Variations
BlackCinnamonRed/Black
Pattern Ledger
Source Flying Ant
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Sourcing Ledger
Where to source this pattern
TWG checkout is closed. These are current sourcing leads, scored by mapped tier, region, species, fly type, and named-pattern evidence. Confirm availability directly with the tier or shop.
Regional shopStrong match
Driftless Angler
Matched on Midwest & Driftless, terrestrial flies, trout. Driftless-specific trout source for spring creek nymphs, dries, and local bug windows.
Midwest & Driftlessterrestrial fliestrout
Visit sourceBroad sourceStrong match
Fulling Mill Flies
Matched on terrestrial flies, trout, dry. Large pattern house with broad freshwater and saltwater fly categories.
terrestrial fliestroutdry
Visit sourceBroad sourceStrong match
Big Y Fly Co.
Matched on terrestrial flies, trout, dry. Broad by-type catalog useful for common benchmark patterns and inexpensive backups.
terrestrial fliestroutdry
Visit sourceRegional shopStrong match
Dette Flies
Matched on terrestrial flies, trout, dry. Catskill lineage fly shop with deep dry-fly, wet-fly, and Northeast trout relevance.
terrestrial fliestroutdry
Visit sourceRegional shopStrong match
AZ Fly Shop
Matched on terrestrial flies, trout, carp. Arizona and Southwest shop lead for desert trout, bass, canal carp, and warmwater patterns.
terrestrial fliestroutcarp
Visit sourceFew events in fly fishing are as wonderfully chaotic as an ant fall. Millions of flying ants take to the air, land on the water, and every trout in the creek switches from cautious surface sipper to vacuum cleaner. This pattern has the classic two-humped profile that trout recognize as 'ant' from below, and the CDC wings provide just enough visibility for you to track it on the surface. When the ants are flying, tie this on and enjoy twenty minutes of the easiest dry fly fishing you will ever experience. When they stop, go back to being humbled by Tricos.
Quick Facts
TypeTerrestrial
Difficultybeginner
SeasonsSummer, Fall
Target SpeciesBrown Trout, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout
Sizes#14 - #20
Best LocationsTimber Coulee Creek, WI; Whitewater River, MN; Bennett Spring, MO
Where to Fish It
Timber Coulee Creek
WI · Spring Creek
Whitewater River
MN · Spring Creek
Bennett Spring
MO · Spring Creek
Map unavailable. Locations for Flying Ant: Timber Coulee Creek, WI; Whitewater River, MN; Bennett Spring, MO
Related Reading
region guide
Driftless Area: Spring Creek Paradise
Tucked into the unglaciated hills of southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, and northeastern Iowa lies the Driftless Area — a landscape of cold spring creeks, limestone bluffs, and wild trout that rivals any destination in the country. This is the complete guide to fishing the Driftless.
hatch guide
Terrestrial Fishing: Hoppers, Ants, and Beetles
Terrestrial insects — hoppers, ants, beetles, and crickets — are not aquatic hatches, but they drive some of the most exciting and productive dry-fly fishing of the year. From midsummer hopper banks to fall ant flights, this is your guide to fishing the land-based food sources that trout cannot resist.
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