Foam terrestrial profiles

[Czob 0]

I have been looking for terrestrial bug profiles to cut out foam bodies to tye flies. Like ants, beetles, grasshoppers and etc. In different sizes.

 I know you dont need patterns for a lot of them, but I am pretty anal for doing it right. If anyone has these in life sizes, please let me know. Thanks!

[SilverCreek 0]

McMurray Ant

http://www.drakemag.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=1774

https://www.sparsegreymatter.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36

 

 

 

[Philly 0]

I've used the McMurray ant pattern a few times.  My favorite sunken ant pattern is Harry Steeves TransparANT which I think Silver has on the other side of his box.  These are some of my beetle patterns.  Just trying to create a profile of a beetle floating in the surface film.  They're made from 2 mm craft foam with peacock herl wrapped on the hook shank for the underbody and "sili legs" for the legs.  The orange dot is for visibility.

Beetles can range from the size of a Lady Bug up to the June Bug.  Generally, I don't use a lot of hopper patterns, most of the streams I fish are in wooded areas and you don't see hoppers on the streams.  I would use a generic pattern like a large Stimulator with yellow, green or tan body.  Most streams I fish have annual cicadas, another pattern you might want to look at they can be an 1 1/2 to 2 inches long.  When they hit the water, they definitely attract fish.

[SilverCreek 0]

^^^^^ Nice patterns

[partsman 0]

SilverCreek and Philly, thanks to both of you, nice patterns, explanations!

Mike.

[jcozzz 0]

On 3/24/2022 at 6:32 AM, SilverCreek said:

McMurray Ant

http://www.drakemag.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=1774

https://www.sparsegreymatter.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36

 

 

 

When i first started tying i used to make these balsa ants quite often.I just sanded balsa sticks round.I like foam but those balsa ants are just plain pretty and they fished well.

[SilverCreek 0]

39 minutes ago, jcozzz said:

When i first started tying i used to make these balsa ants quite often.I just sanded balsa sticks round.I like foam but those balsa ants are just plain pretty and they fished well.

When painted, they are pretty. But they took too much time for me.

I can vouch that the foam ones are effective.

I remember when I hiked into the first meadow of Slough Creek with Jim Greenlee. There was one guy fly fishing a section of the creek. As I walked along the creek from behind him, I watched him for quite some time. He was casting to some rising fish but not a one took his fly.

I passed him by and went well upstream of him. I rigged up with a McMurray Ant and after a couple of casts, I was tight to a Yellowstone Cutt. After releasing it, I recast and hooked another.

Meanwhile, Jim was below him and Jim was using a beetle imitation. He was also tight to a fish.

All of a sudden a fly rod came flying across Slough Creek. The angler had lost his cool and tossed his rod and reel across Slough Creek. Afraid to say anything, I just kept fishing...........

Here are the beetle patterns that I use. The one on the left sinks and is a drowned beetle pattern. Black naugahyde (from Hobby Lobby or Joanne's) is used for the wingcase.

The one on the right has a foam wing case and is the floating pattern.

 

 

[flytire 0]

foam bug bodies

Foam Bug Bodies - Spider – Cascade Crest Tools

Foam Bug Bodies - Spider - The Fly Shack Fly Fishing

Wapsi Foam Ant Body | eBay

Foam Bug Bodies (bearsden.com)

Realistic Hopper Bodies - FrostyFly

SKILTON'S QUICK SIGHT FOAM ANT BODIES FLY TYING FOAM CYLINDERS E-Z Sight Fly | eBay

 

[mikemac1 0]

https://www.riverroadcreations.com/foam-body-cutters/single-size.html?product_list_limit=all