All kinds of ants are spread throughout the whole world due to their adaptation skills. This is why fly-fishermen have to take into account that ants are a part of the fish´s diet. We can see this because catalogues always have ant imitations, both dry and wet patterns.Although ants are terrestrial View more...All kinds of ants are spread throughout the whole world due to their adaptation skills. This is why fly-fishermen have to take into account that ants are a part of the fish´s diet. We can see this because catalogues always have ant imitations, both dry and wet patterns.Although ants are terrestrial insects, they often fall down to the river because of the wind and rain, sometimes drowning entire colonies. During flooding times, these colonies can be seen drifting on the current, some dead ants below the surface and the line ones on top of them.I have chosen the Transpar-Ant from Umpqua and Randall Kauffman´s Fly Patterns book because it is the one I find most interesting. It is similar to regular lacquered ants, but I like practicality of making it, on top of the transparency and brightness given by a sole layer of epoxy. I will show how to tie the red-and-black imitation, but it can be tied using only one of these colors as well.
Move the mouse over the image to zoom in the fly.
Touch the image to zoom in the fly.
List of materials
MaterialsHook: Mustad 9671 – TMC 3761 or 3769 (or similar), sizes #12 to 18Abdomen: red thread, UNI 8/0Head: black thread, UNI 8/0Abdomen and Head: 5-minute epoxy coatingHackle: black rooster feather
Steps
Step 1
Shape the ant abdomen by wrapping the red thread until the desired silhouette is achieved
Step 2
Shape the head with black thread leaving some space between the head and the abdomen, where the legs will be located
Step 3
Cover the abdomen and the head with a fine layer of epoxy without invading the space that separates both
Step 4
Once the epoxy is dry, tie a rooster feather between the abdomen and the head
Step 5
Wrap the feather (just a couple of turns), set it firmly with thread, trim and cement
