Carpenter Ants

[Bull_Dog]

Had a couple flying around my back yard today and a couple more on the ground. Big Ole black ones. Hopefully they will be out tomorrow. Got some Loco Ants ready for a swim.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt6SgAR9e7w

[Troutstalker55B]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the quick responses. Looks like I better tie some in the morning, headed up to Plumas for some work and a little play. This board rules!

Jon.

[JR Martinez]

New here, well kinda, been a few years but I saw a ton of Carpenter ants (some were all black, some were black with some grayish coloration on the abdomen which I've never seen before) this past weekend on a family trip up to the Calaveras Big Trees. They were all around the park and along the banks of the North Fork of the Stanislaus. Most were big, something around size 12 would work though some were probably a 10. Also saw a few slightly smaller ants (Black abdomen, cinnamon/reddish thorax and head) along the river too. All this was around 4000 ft

[TahoeChris]

Just got back from the truckee and saw one at about 10am so I rigged up a dry dropper and fished it hard with no takes. Then at 11 a big march brown hatch was happening with a few fish looking up so I switched again and got one on my second cast then no other looks on the surface. After some food and a beer we started seeing a few more. I fished the ant a little more but no takers. This week it will happen. As I was getting out my waders one slapped my in the face. I almost turned around and kept fishing but it's been a long day. I might have to play hooky one day this week.

[Dan LeCount]

3 days ago I started seeing some around the back yard in Glenshire, then it got partly cloudy the last 2 days. Today it got hot again and theyre popping pretty good. Tomorrow should be a good bet, but you never know. Maybe theyll be eating drowned baetis spinners, micro caddis, march browns, remnant skwalas, etc. Come with some in your box, but dont expect them to be the deal, just be happily surprised if they are. Im heading to the river, since Im carp fishing in NV tomorrow.

[papaebe]

Hey Dan What was happening Wed afternoon?
P

[bigfly]

Papaebe, since Dan's fishing today.....

Wed. afternoon Dan did a short demo.
Got three fish to look (briefly), at an ant dry.
Then he drowned it, and caught a couple of those fish.
That's why we drown them....(Besides the fact ants float poorly.)
Trying to force them to rise here, can at times, be futile (even during a hatch/emergence).
That doesn't mean fish aren't eating........

After their mating flight, the big females drop their wings and go looking for a downed tree to eat (or a house).
Feel free to fish a sz 12 black epoxy ant for this. You can change the red/black ones with a marker....

Looks like it will be an on-off kind of emergence.
Watch the weather for the warmest days.
Every year is different.
(5-19-12) Heck, every day is.
Still chilly but maybe......
Jim

[Dan LeCount]

Hey Dan What was happening Wed afternoon?
P

Yea, the river was pretty big that day and not too many fish seemed to be looking up. Like Jim(Bigfly) said, they took them underneath pretty decent. Got maybe 4-5 to take a drowned ant, or a baetis,(couldnt see what all of them took) only brought 3 to hand though. 1 for sure was on a baetis and 2 on an ant. Not bad for a little under an hour/sneak out afternoon sesh before dinner. 1 fish looked totally wild, and the other 2 looked like holdover Flycasters fish. I wouldn't say the fishing is great, but definitely worth hitting the water. ( I say that most of the time though)

Random note - My friend saw a green drake yesterday, although I think the major portion of the hatch is probably still a ways off, just something to think about. Its a wierd year, you never know whats gonna pop when youre out.

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

SPARSE.

The only day I've personally seen Winged, Black Carpenter ants was last Wednesday. Been on the local waters everyday since and haven't see any more. Maybe I'm in the wrong locations and they're micro-localized...which IMO is generally not the case.

Dan--A Green Drake? ...WOW that is the earliest I've ever heard of them in this area. Where was it seen?

Frank R. Pisciotta

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

Well, has anyone seen the black bombers in the Truckee area?

As I've mentioned in the previous post , I saw a few last Wednesday. Been on the water everyday since...nada.

...Anymore suspected sightings of Green Drakes?

Frank R. Pisciotta