Ant patterns

[tracker12]

Beadhead
Ants lok great. Can I ask how you tie down the foam on the ends on the orange fly. The foam looks flat and dubbubg is underneath. Is that correct.

T ZZZZ

 

[BelAirSteve]

1WHIZ wrote:
Where abouts is the Gunpowder?

Northern Baltimore County, below Pretty Boy Resevoir. Not far from southern York County. If you venture there, be aware that there is Didymo in the Gunpowder, so be sure to disinfect your gear.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

tracker12 wrote:
So what do I need to tie the McMurry Ant?

Hi Tony - McMurray ants were made with pieces of balsa wood cylinders, which were drilled on one end, glued to a piece of heavy mono, and painted. Kinda looks like a little barbell. The mono was lashed to the hook, and a few turns of hackle wrapped in the middle.

If you really have a burr to tie those things, you can get balsa wood cylinders at a hobby shop, and make your own. Personally, I'd rather just use foam, or better yet, dubbing. Walmart sells foam sheets for 50 cents, and you'll have foam for life for a couple of bucks.

H.A.

 

[beadhead2]

tracker
I put down a thread base ,tie in foam ,dubbing, pull foam over and tie down the foam all the way to the eye ,dub the front section and pull the foam back over the dubbing ,tie in the legs and whip finish

 

[RowJimmy]

Dubbing ants have been killing as of late. If you want something a little more complex check out Galloups ant acid.

 

[Fishidiot]

Heritage-Angler wrote:

tracker12 wrote:
So what do I need to tie the McMurry Ant?

Hi Tony - McMurray ants were made with pieces of balsa wood cylinders, which were drilled on one end, glued to a piece of heavy mono, and painted. Kinda looks like a little barbell. The mono was lashed to the hook, and a few turns of hackle wrapped in the middle.

If you really have a burr to tie those things, you can get balsa wood cylinders at a hobby shop, and make your own. Personally, I'd rather just use foam, or better yet, dubbing. Walmart sells foam sheets for 50 cents, and you'll have foam for life for a couple of bucks.

H.A.

Good answer from HA (as usual)
McMurry ants were very popular when I started fly fishing in the late 70s-early 80s and I personally did very well with them - they were durable and easy to tie. You don't see 'em much anymore and I'll agree with HA that using foam is much easier.

 

[jayL]

+1 for foam. Pretty much for any terrestrial pattern. It gets a realistic sheen when it's wet.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

This is an original McMurray ant - sz 18.

Here's a link to a tutorial, as well.

 

[tracker12]

HA
Thanks for the info. One thing thou that has yet to be answered is the hackle part. So what in the way of hackle material do I need to buy to tie these. The only hackle material I have ever bought was for Wooly Buggers.

 

[gutcutter]

gutcutter wrote:

tracker12 wrote:
So what do I need to tie the McMurry Ant? More of what type size of saddle for the hackle. Can I use red foam?
.

3-no more than 3 turns of hackle the same sizing as standard dry fly
4-clip cylinder to length fore and aft
5-clip hackle from the underside.

Any low quality (or high quality if you must) dry fly hackle. Use the same size as a standard catskill dry (about 1 1/2 the size of the hook gap)

Hope this helps

The original wasn't clipped on the bottom. I always clipped them to keep it in the film instead of on the film

 

[beadhead2]

Here are some other ant patterns