Terrestrial Beetles come in
all colors and sizes. Heavy
rain can wash them in the
water.
all colors and sizes. Heavy
rain can wash them in the
water.
Terrestrial Insects: (Grasshoppers, Ants, Beetles, etc)
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Fly Fishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
Small Rainbow Trout will attack
imitations of terrestrial insects
as large as their mouths.
imitations of terrestrial insects
as large as their mouths.
Terrestrial Beetles:
These are very plentiful in the
park. How many of them gets
into the water is another
question.
These are very plentiful in the
park. How many of them gets
into the water is another
question.
Terrestrial insects are insects that are born and
spend most of their life on land. They get into the
water only by accident. Windy conditions and
other natural conditions can cause these insects
to sometimes loose their caution and end up
becoming a meal for a trout.
It would be a rare occasion that trout ever
became selective on any terrestrial insect in the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It would
be possible during a flying ant fall, or possibly
when a large amount of ants or beetles were
washed into the water by heavy rains or high
winds. This means that most all of the time, the
trout are just looking for something to eat on the
surface of the water. They do not recognize the
various types or species of terrestrial insects that
may come floating by. The strictly feed
opportunistically on them. When there are few
insects on the water trout are likely to take every
insect that comes by.
If a large amount of any one insect became
available over a period of time, then it would be
likely that the trout would search only for that
insect or feed selectively on it. When this
happens, they begin to settle into a steady
feeding rhythm and focus on individual insects.
Facts are, it would be rare that enough terrestrial
insects fell, blew or got washed into the water to
cause selective feeding. We have never seen it
happen in the park.
Imitations of Terrestrials: (Flies)
This means that you can get by with, except for a
few rare exceptions, fishing an imitation of any
terrestrial insect you desire to imitate. As long as
it is something of the size and shape of an
insect, the fish will see your fly as something to
eat. Their brain is not large enough for them to
be able to identify it as something they saw last
year at the particular time of the year. They they
don't need to be able to do so in order to survive.
They may eat a beetle one minute and a grass
hopper a few minutes later.
If the fly sinks, it will probably get more takes
from trout than if it floats beautifully on the
surface. Most ants, beetles and hoppers that fall
into the water slowly sink.
These are some of the more plentiful and
common terrestrial insects that get into the
freestone streams of the Great Smoky Mountain
National Park.
Beetles:
The most common terrestrial insect in the park is
the beetle or Coleoptera. There are both aquatic
and terrestrial forms of beetles but here we are
concerned with the terrestrial form. June bugs,
lady bugs, bark beetles, ground beetles are
some of the types of beetles found in the park.
Some species of beetles can fly and these are
more likely to get into the water than the others
that cannot fly. Overhanging limbs of trees, grass
and shrubs provide the places for beetles to fall
into the water.
Ants:
Ants, the Formicidae family of insects, are
probably the next most plentiful terrestrial insect
found in the park. Fast rising water caused by
heavy rains is responsible for ants and terrestrial
beetles getting into the water more than anything
else. Ants live in colonies and when they do get
washed into the water, they usually do so in large
quantities.
Some ants can fly and these flying ants can
easily wind up in the water. When they do, they
are usually preyed on by trout in a feeding frenzy.
These great swarms of arts perform their nuptial
flights, the winged males or drones die shortly
after they swarm. If the flight of ants happens
over a stream they fall in the water and usually
just carpet the water. Don't stand around waiting
for this to happen, you may grow old waiting. But
if you find flying ants falling in the water, the trout
will usually go nuts. Be prepared for a flying ant
fall. They usually occur during the summer
months.
Grasshoppers:
Grasshopper exist on every stream in the park
but they are not as plentiful in the forest as they
are in the streams that flow through fields and
open areas where high grass exist.
Where ever you find banks with lots of grass
there most likely are lots of grasshoppers.
Grasshoppers become important starting in
June but much more so in the latter part of the
summer and early autumn. They are apt to get
into the water much more so on windy days.
Crickets:
Crickets are quite plentiful in the forest of the
Smokies. You may never see them in large
quantities but they exist almost everywhere.
Some anglers consider the cricket to be more
important than the grasshopper. Actually, the
trout probably do not see enough of them to
recognize the difference and will probably make
no distinction between the two.
Inch worms/loopers:
Inchworms and loopers of the Geometridae
family, are the larvae stage of moths. They feed
on leaves but when they are grown they descend
to the ground on a silk thread to pupate. They
don't seem to know or maybe have no choice in
selecting where they land, on water or land.
When they land on the water, they usually just
hang there bouncing in the current until the
thread breaks. Trout feed on them aggressively.
You can fish an imitation, usually green or brown,
on the surface or using a drag-free drift below the
surface. They are usually most available during
the summer months but since there are
thousands of species (nationwide-we are not
sure about the park) they are probably available
to trout during a much longer period of time..
Bees and Wasp:
Bees live in colonies. These colonies are usually
very large and contains thousands of insects.
One of the common ones in the park is the
yellow jacket.
Copyright 2007 James Marsh
spend most of their life on land. They get into the
water only by accident. Windy conditions and
other natural conditions can cause these insects
to sometimes loose their caution and end up
becoming a meal for a trout.
It would be a rare occasion that trout ever
became selective on any terrestrial insect in the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It would
be possible during a flying ant fall, or possibly
when a large amount of ants or beetles were
washed into the water by heavy rains or high
winds. This means that most all of the time, the
trout are just looking for something to eat on the
surface of the water. They do not recognize the
various types or species of terrestrial insects that
may come floating by. The strictly feed
opportunistically on them. When there are few
insects on the water trout are likely to take every
insect that comes by.
If a large amount of any one insect became
available over a period of time, then it would be
likely that the trout would search only for that
insect or feed selectively on it. When this
happens, they begin to settle into a steady
feeding rhythm and focus on individual insects.
Facts are, it would be rare that enough terrestrial
insects fell, blew or got washed into the water to
cause selective feeding. We have never seen it
happen in the park.
Imitations of Terrestrials: (Flies)
This means that you can get by with, except for a
few rare exceptions, fishing an imitation of any
terrestrial insect you desire to imitate. As long as
it is something of the size and shape of an
insect, the fish will see your fly as something to
eat. Their brain is not large enough for them to
be able to identify it as something they saw last
year at the particular time of the year. They they
don't need to be able to do so in order to survive.
They may eat a beetle one minute and a grass
hopper a few minutes later.
If the fly sinks, it will probably get more takes
from trout than if it floats beautifully on the
surface. Most ants, beetles and hoppers that fall
into the water slowly sink.
These are some of the more plentiful and
common terrestrial insects that get into the
freestone streams of the Great Smoky Mountain
National Park.
Beetles:
The most common terrestrial insect in the park is
the beetle or Coleoptera. There are both aquatic
and terrestrial forms of beetles but here we are
concerned with the terrestrial form. June bugs,
lady bugs, bark beetles, ground beetles are
some of the types of beetles found in the park.
Some species of beetles can fly and these are
more likely to get into the water than the others
that cannot fly. Overhanging limbs of trees, grass
and shrubs provide the places for beetles to fall
into the water.
Ants:
Ants, the Formicidae family of insects, are
probably the next most plentiful terrestrial insect
found in the park. Fast rising water caused by
heavy rains is responsible for ants and terrestrial
beetles getting into the water more than anything
else. Ants live in colonies and when they do get
washed into the water, they usually do so in large
quantities.
Some ants can fly and these flying ants can
easily wind up in the water. When they do, they
are usually preyed on by trout in a feeding frenzy.
These great swarms of arts perform their nuptial
flights, the winged males or drones die shortly
after they swarm. If the flight of ants happens
over a stream they fall in the water and usually
just carpet the water. Don't stand around waiting
for this to happen, you may grow old waiting. But
if you find flying ants falling in the water, the trout
will usually go nuts. Be prepared for a flying ant
fall. They usually occur during the summer
months.
Grasshoppers:
Grasshopper exist on every stream in the park
but they are not as plentiful in the forest as they
are in the streams that flow through fields and
open areas where high grass exist.
Where ever you find banks with lots of grass
there most likely are lots of grasshoppers.
Grasshoppers become important starting in
June but much more so in the latter part of the
summer and early autumn. They are apt to get
into the water much more so on windy days.
Crickets:
Crickets are quite plentiful in the forest of the
Smokies. You may never see them in large
quantities but they exist almost everywhere.
Some anglers consider the cricket to be more
important than the grasshopper. Actually, the
trout probably do not see enough of them to
recognize the difference and will probably make
no distinction between the two.
Inch worms/loopers:
Inchworms and loopers of the Geometridae
family, are the larvae stage of moths. They feed
on leaves but when they are grown they descend
to the ground on a silk thread to pupate. They
don't seem to know or maybe have no choice in
selecting where they land, on water or land.
When they land on the water, they usually just
hang there bouncing in the current until the
thread breaks. Trout feed on them aggressively.
You can fish an imitation, usually green or brown,
on the surface or using a drag-free drift below the
surface. They are usually most available during
the summer months but since there are
thousands of species (nationwide-we are not
sure about the park) they are probably available
to trout during a much longer period of time..
Bees and Wasp:
Bees live in colonies. These colonies are usually
very large and contains thousands of insects.
One of the common ones in the park is the
yellow jacket.
Copyright 2007 James Marsh
Site Map (Click on Links)
Abrams Creek Fishing Methods Marine Food Species
Anthony Creek Forney Creek Mayflies Spring
Big Creek Freestone Streams Midges Stoneflies
Beginners Recommended Gear Misc N.C. Streams Straight Creek
Caddisflies Hatches Misc Tenn. Streams Streams
Casting Hazel Creek Middle Prong Little Pigeon River Summer Season
Cataloochee Creek Headwater Stream Middle Prong Little River Terrestrials
Cosby Creek Caddisfly Imitations Noland Creek Twenty Mile Creek
Deep Creek Mayfly Imitations Oconaluftee River Wild Trout
Midge Imitations Other Aquatic Insects Winter Season
Eagle Creek Home PH West Prong Little Pigeon River
East Prong Little River Stonefly Imitations Presentation West Prong Little River
Fall Season Streamers Raven Fork Spring Hatch Chart
About Us Terrestrial Imitations Reading Hatch Charts Summer Hatch Chart
Recommended Flies Links Seasons Winter Hatch Chart
Fall Hatch Chart
Abrams Creek Fishing Methods Marine Food Species
Anthony Creek Forney Creek Mayflies Spring
Big Creek Freestone Streams Midges Stoneflies
Beginners Recommended Gear Misc N.C. Streams Straight Creek
Caddisflies Hatches Misc Tenn. Streams Streams
Casting Hazel Creek Middle Prong Little Pigeon River Summer Season
Cataloochee Creek Headwater Stream Middle Prong Little River Terrestrials
Cosby Creek Caddisfly Imitations Noland Creek Twenty Mile Creek
Deep Creek Mayfly Imitations Oconaluftee River Wild Trout
Midge Imitations Other Aquatic Insects Winter Season
Eagle Creek Home PH West Prong Little Pigeon River
East Prong Little River Stonefly Imitations Presentation West Prong Little River
Fall Season Streamers Raven Fork Spring Hatch Chart
About Us Terrestrial Imitations Reading Hatch Charts Summer Hatch Chart
Recommended Flies Links Seasons Winter Hatch Chart
Fall Hatch Chart
Grasshoppers commonly get
blown into the water in high
winds. This is a good time to
fish the imitations.
blown into the water in high
winds. This is a good time to
fish the imitations.
Wasps are a common
terrestrial insect in the park.
terrestrial insect in the park.
Leafhoppers come in all
colors and sizes. The trout will
eat them if they fall into the
water.
colors and sizes. The trout will
eat them if they fall into the
water.
Inchworms are very common
and plentiful in the park. If they
fall into the water, the trout will
eat them.
and plentiful in the park. If they
fall into the water, the trout will
eat them.
A large brown grasshopper
hangs right beside the water
hangs right beside the water
This inchworm is longer than an
inch.
inch.
Flying Ants are not that common
in the park. When they do show
up, be prepared for them.
in the park. When they do show
up, be prepared for them.
Terrestrial beetle with a real
strike indicator on its back.
strike indicator on its back.
Terrestrial Insects are a part of
the summer diet of all species
of trout in the park.
the summer diet of all species
of trout in the park.