The Chernobyl Ant was invented in the 1990s by Colorado fly tier Al Ritt, who also created the original Chubby Chernobyl. Ritt designed the Chernobyl Ant to specifically imitate flying ants that end up on the water and attract hungry trout.
Like the Chubby Chernobyl, the Chernobyl Ant has a high-floating foam body, rubber legs, and deer hair wing. But it uses black foam and deer hair to mimic the dark coloration of flying ants. The foam and deer hair help it float well and be highly visible to anglers.
The Chernobyl Ant can be fished in a variety of ways. It is extremely effective for dry fly fishing - simply cast upstream and drift it over feeding lanes. The fly can also be twitched erratically using short strips to imitate an ant struggling on the surface. Skittering or skating the fly across the surface can also elicit explosive strikes.
The Chernobyl Ant is an excellent fly for catching selective trout when flying ants are present, including rainbow, brown, brook, and cutthroat trout. Its high-visibility makes subtle takes easy to detect. The pattern has become a go-to summer fly for anglers across North America and Europe.
