DRY FLIES

ANT

Late in the season or at almost any time for that matter you can get huge hatches of ants. They vary in colour but the dominant hatches are of red ants and black ants.

When the fish are feeding on ants they just sup the insects down one by one often at the exclusion of all other food sources. If your fly imitates the ant well you have a better than equal chance of it being considered part of the food chain.

Materials for Red Ant:

Hook - Size 12-16
Thread - Red silk
Body - Red silk
Legs & feelers - Red hackle

Materials for Black Ant:

Hook - Size 12-16
Thread - Black silk
Body - Black silk
Legs & feelers - Black hackle

A) Wind the thread in touching turns to the bend of the hook. Wrap the thread forward the first 1/3 of the hook shank forming an acorn shaped body of thread.
B) Tie in a slightly oversize hen hackle and take yst two wraps of the hackle to form the rear legs Tie the hackle off and trim the excess. Wrap the thread forward the next 1/3 of the hook shank forming an acorn shaped thorax of thread.
C) Tie in a slightly oversize hen hackle and take yst two wraps of the hackle to form the front legs. Tie the hackle off and trim the excess Build up a neat head of thread Whip finish and varnish the head.

Last modified: 11-Jun-2008.