The hi-viz foam body ant. Ant patterns are really trout takers, and on small streams they are a top pattern from April through October. This is about as simple a pattern as can be...few materials and easy to tie. I'll take you through it. Material, Hook, black thread, black foam bodies, and black hackle.
Start thread behind hook eye and wrap to about the hook point.
Wrap thread back to the mid-way point
Here you take the foam body and place it on top of hook. Take about 10 wraps of thread to secure.
Next take your hackle and tie it in. You now take four turns of hackle and tie it off. Cut the hackle, and whip finish.
Your completed foam body ant.
I tie these in a variety of sizes and colors. They also are a great beetle pattern. These flies float very well and are highly visible.
Here's one that the brookies have been chewing on.
Excellent tutorial Brk Trt!! Where did you get the Bill's E-Z sight foam bodies?
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I will have to tie a few.
TROUTI
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Pete I got them off E-bay.
SKILTON'S QUICK SIGHT ANT BODIES HI VIZ ANT BODIES E-Z SIGHT FOAM ANT CYLINDERS
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SKILTONS-QUICK-SIGHT-ANT-BODIES-HI-VIZ-ANT-BODIES-E-Z-SIGHT-FOAM-ANT-CYLINDERS-/171017091832?var=&hash=item27d169baf8:m:mPCC2xz7bKJgeWY6PVbpRdw
They are very funny, but I always prefer to fly with feathers ... good luck Alan
ReplyDeleteArmando Milosevic
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Armando they work really well and they are half feathered.
Bill is quite a fixture in my area of the world, the man who owns USA flies. His web sight provides many different pre formed bodies ants inch worms hoppers beetles, damsel flies and many more, his ants are very popular around central pa. Bill is very active with the pa. Fly fish museum and great advicate off our sport of fly fishing. Nice presentation , Alan bill would be proud. Thankyou!
ReplyDeleteBrad Basehore
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Brad I didn't know that. He's great to do business with and always has a good word to say.
After years of frustration at tying beetles, I got some of Bills foam beetles. They're great. I guess ants are next because it is important food source.
ReplyDeleteHoward Levett
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Howard beetles and ants are a staple where I fish. I'll have to look into his beetle bodies.
Appreciate the tying sequence and the information on the bodies. Ants have been a productive fly for Bluegill and other Sunfish here, too. I will have to check, but, I think the local dealer may have some bodies of that type.
ReplyDeleteGrandpa Mel
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Mel your right on sunfish enjoying an ant or two.
These are just right...easy and inexpensive.
Highly visible is good!
ReplyDeleteBill/Tully
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Highly visible is really good!!!!!!!
Alan
ReplyDeleteAwesome pattern, I like the high float factor--thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill high float, simple materials, and easy to tie...can't be beat.
Seems like a better Trout mouthful than the ones you buy from the fly shop. Simple to tie too.
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz-Shoreman
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Mark it's a great little fly.
True story: Many, many moons ago, I was in the Manchester Orvis store. I asked a fellow who appeared to work there that was passing by for a good ant pattern. He turned me on to this exact pattern. Forward a few years, when I was running the Am. Museum of Fly Fishing, I got to know Perk Perkins well...it was he, years before, that pointed me to this ant. Still cracks me up.
ReplyDeleteGary
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Gary on Bill's site he mentions having this ant in the Orvis stores fly bins for over 20 years.
Perk gave you some very good advice. Nice story.
That's one I think I might even be able to tie. No trout in Florida, but I bet the bluegill would probably like 'em.
ReplyDeleteMichael Agneta
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Mike I'm sure you'll tie it with ease. And those blue gills should love it.
Alan and Michael,
ReplyDeleteYes indeed, the bluegills love them! I have been tying and fishing this exact pattern for several years over some fussy 'gills that seems to have no problem at all charging up thru the water column to slash one of these! In my neck of the woods ants are everywhere and this seems to be true everywhere we go! Thankfully, they are universally accepted by bluegills and brookies alike!
Alan, your tutorial is excellent and so are the end results! I love your style of tying with it's clean lines and awesome simplicity! For that is the best way!!
In awe of this blog,
Doug
Dougsden
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Doug I sort of had that feeling the bluegills would favor such a fly.
Like the spider and soft-hackle with its simple lines and materials make it so effective...so does this ant pattern.