Terrestrial insects are land-based insects that accidentally fall or are blown onto the water. Unlike upwing flies, midges and sedges, they spend no part of their life cycle living beneath the surface, yet during the warmer months they become one of the most important food sources available to trout. In fact, some of the largest wild brown trout of the year are caught on terrestrial patterns when there is little or no obvious aquatic hatch taking place.
Terrestrial fishing comes into its own from late spring through to early autumn. As temperatures rise, fields, hedgerows and woodland become full of insects. Wind, rain and simple bad luck cause many of these insects to end up on the water, where they are unable to escape. Trout quickly learn that these larger meals are rich in protein and often require very little effort to catch.
Unlike aquatic hatches, terrestrial activity is rarely predictable. There is no fixed hatch time or specific period when fish suddenly switch onto them. Instead, terrestrial fishing is driven by weather. Warm sunshine, gusty winds, thunderstorms and heavy summer showers can all result in large numbers of insects being washed or blown onto the water. Some days there may be very few, while on others trout become almost completely preoccupied with them.
Many different insects can become important. Beetles are among the most reliable and are found throughout the summer. Flying ants can produce spectacular but unpredictable feeding frenzies during warm, humid weather. Grasshoppers regularly find their way into rivers during late summer, while caterpillars, bees, wasps and numerous other insects all become occasional food items. The exact species is often less important than presenting a convincing imitation of an insect struggling on the surface.
One of the biggest advantages of terrestrial fishing is that trout often become noticeably less selective. Rather than examining tiny aquatic insects drifting naturally with the current, fish frequently react instinctively to a larger food item landing nearby. This makes terrestrial patterns excellent searching flies when there is little obvious hatch activity.
The best places to fish terrestrial patterns are usually close to where the insects originate. Overhanging trees, grassy banks, reeds, undercut banks and bushes all provide natural sources of food. On windy days, trout frequently patrol the sheltered bank or foam lines where insects naturally accumulate. On stillwaters, fish often cruise surprisingly close to the margins searching for beetles and other insects blown from the surrounding vegetation.
Presentation is generally straightforward. A drag-free drift remains the most natural approach on rivers, although an occasional twitch can convincingly imitate an insect struggling to escape. On stillwaters, allowing the fly to remain static before imparting gentle movement often produces confident takes. As with most dry fly fishing, subtlety usually outperforms excessive movement.
At Peaks Fly Fishing, terrestrial patterns are among our favourite searching flies during the summer. If there is little sign of an aquatic hatch but trout are still looking towards the surface, a beetle or hopper pattern is often one of the first flies we tie on. These larger silhouettes are easy for trout to spot and can tempt fish that have ignored more traditional imitative patterns.
## Recommended Fly Patterns
### Beetles
* CDC Beetle
* Foam Beetle
* Black & Peacock Spider
### Flying Ants
* Flying Ant
* Black Flying Ant
* Hi-Viz Flying Ant
### Grasshoppers & Hoppers
* Hares Hopper
* CDC Hopper
* Foam Hopper
## Peaks Fly Fishing Tips
* Fish close to overhanging trees, grassy banks, reeds and undercut margins.
* Warm, breezy days often produce the best terrestrial fishing.
* After thunderstorms or heavy showers, don't overlook terrestrials as fish often switch onto blown or washed-in insects.
* A beetle or hopper pattern is an excellent searching fly when there is little obvious hatch activity.
* Watch the wind direction, as trout frequently patrol the bank where insects naturally accumulate.
* Don't become too concerned with exactly matching every terrestrial insect. Size, silhouette and presentation are usually far more important than an exact imitation.
* Always carry a small selection of terrestrial patterns throughout the summer. They regularly account for some of the largest and least expected trout of the season.
