Idaho Fish Report

Our summer hatches are winding down and terrestrials are heating up. Large hoppers and crickets get all the attention, and rightfully so. Who doesn't want to see a big fish slowly suck down a size 6 dry fly? But it's the smallest terrestrials that get us fired up the most. Trout don't just rise to flying ants, they attack them.

Flying ant flights are prevalent across the entire area. The Madison, Gallatin, Hebgen Lake, Slough Creek, Lamar, and Soda Butte all experience good ant activity by the second week in August. Our latest flying ant pattern is also the most recent in a long line of effective flies using Tiger Strips. Patrick Daigle devised this two-tone ant after having a terrible time keeping other foam ant patterns afloat on an August float trip down the Madison. The deer hair wing and Tiger Strip body combine with an under-body of antron dubbing to keep this ant floating even after catching several fish.