Fly Fishing - Wet Flies For Trout: Best Wet Fly Patterns?

kory_k · Location: New York, NY

Being that we are entering that late summer period of the trout fishing season, terrestrial patterns are becoming a big part of the menu. When I used to guide on the Green River in Utah, terrestrials were a part of the menu for almost the entire season and we even used to get fish to eat them in January even though there were none around. That was a unique situation though and late summer early fall is typically the time of the year that they really become a factor on most trout fisheries. Of course hoppers always get a lot attention but beetles and ants tend to out produce (especially on eastern streams). A few beetle and ant patterns that I always carry are the following:
1. Parachute Ant
2. Shimazaki CDC Ant (both in black and cinnamon which could be deadly at times)
3. Foam Beetle

I always carried these patterns and they worked extremely well for me, but I was wondering if anyone has seen any new, cool patterns or come up with something they think is different? Just curious as to what other beetle and ant terrestrial fly patterns people like to fish?

jeremy · Location: Portland, Maine

Kory - I hear so many guys talking about beetles as being killer patterns for trout. Ya know, i have never caught a single trout on a beetle. Why? because I have never fished them. Funny how it works like that, much like in my last post about albie flies -- Its hard to get comfortable with any fly because it requires putting in the time of potentially NOT catching and NOT doing well and foregoing the flies we are comfortable with. Anyway, I know beetles are good as many friends are swear by them. I have a question

1. When do is best time to fish an beetles? When there isn't a hatch going on? And what general size?

My Favorite terrestrial type ant pattern is

1. The Chernoble Ant. I often use this in the summer as the lead fly with a dropper off of it .. and I am always surprised how many fish take the Chernoble Ant.