Ants and beetles are my go-to fly both in my native PA and my adopted WI any
time the water temp is high enough to get fish looking up.

While most of what you hear and read about ants and beetles concerns smaller
sizes (16's and smaller), I fish large ants in particular as searching flies.
These are always simple deerhair ants, lacquered to make them a little more
durable. They are mostly sizes 12 and 10. I splat them down next to bank hides
and along other cover. They don't last very long, but it only takes an hour to
make a dozen more.

I'd no sooner go out on the water without my ants than I would without my rod,
my waders or my u-trau...