Baron 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 One of the most common flies that I now use as droppers are ants. Recently I bought some ants at a fly shop in Utah and found out that they were sinkers not floaters (photo on right) and of course I began right then and there to use them as droppers off hoppers. They are pretty effective. Since then I've wondered if they couldn't be used in a floating form. I've noticed some people tie ant flies with a white parachute in the middle. Does the presence of a parachute indicate that they were intended to be floating flies? I have tied simple blackflies without regard to whether or not they do or do not float assuming that either way they would be affective for bluegills. But when it gets really weedy in the summertime and I want to stay out of trouble it would be nice to have an ant fly that floated dependably. Hence my question about the parachute. I know that I could resort to foam and that's OK in a perfect world but I seem to get more hits on a natural looking ant fly than I do on it's foamy big brother. Currently I only have black thread but bu rnt red or brown works just as well if not better in sunlight. What are your thoughts? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baron 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 BTW, these are not my ties but are pilfered images and are examples to show examples of what I was talking about. Don't mean to mis-lead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cphubert 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 I use white or colored wings so I CAN SEE the fly on the water, most ants don't last long on the water surface (sink & drown) good pattern to fish wet also. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandan 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 Looks to me like the second one is a flying ant imitation which can also be an aquatic wasp. First one might be a flying ant too. The third is a "normal" ant, a terrestrial. Aquatic wasps are usually referred to as flying ants as they are very similar. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SilverCreek 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 Here are the two sides of my ant/beetle box with both floaters and sinking patterns. I fish sinking beetles as well as ants. This is my version of the Ed Sutryn's McMurray Ant Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
feathers5 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 4 minutes ago, SilverCreek said: Here are the two sides of my ant/beetle box with both floaters and sinking patterns. I fish sinking beetles as well as ants. This is my version of the Ed Sutrynn's McMurray Ant http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2011/01/05/mcmurray-ant-by-charlie-dickson/ A few years ago i bought some balsa and made my own McMurray Ants. A lot of unnecessary work, but what the hell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baron 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 13 minutes ago, SilverCreek said: Here are the two sides of my ant/beetle box with both floaters and sinking patterns. I fish sinking beetles as well as ants. This is my version of the Ed Sutryn's McMurray Ant Goes without saying that I'm certainly impress. very nice and comprehensive. I noticed you don't tie all of them with legs. Could you give an example where legs or no legs would be used? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baron 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 Seeing is important and is why I bought red last summer. The first photo looks kind of universal......perhaps with a more neutral buoyancy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skeet3t 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 Middle one is a cinnamon ant. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SilverCreek 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 59 minutes ago, Baron said: Goes without saying that I'm certainly impress. very nice and comprehensive. I noticed you don't tie all of them with legs. Could you give an example where legs or no legs would be used? They all have "legs". The sunken ones have crystal flash and the dry ants have hackle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baron 0 Report post Posted February 20, 2021 So in this case hackle become legs and I thought the were called tutu's like my grandkids were. Well they're mighty fine looking. I'm hoping to learn both soon. I've looked at so many styles and I guess I just need to lick one. I really appreciate you sharing these images. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2021 My attempts: A couple of thread ants ... And a floating ant made with "hole punch" dots, trimmed a little to reduce the total size. They all have produced fish, but I don't fish them very often. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baron 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2021 Very clever considering how clever it is, lol. I just tied a sculpin using a button for a head. I like the black fiber above. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikemac1 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2021 One of my favorite Ant patterns is the Bead Butt Ant using a small glass bead for the abdomen. Small beads in translucent red, brown, copper or black make for a realistic ant abdomen. Tied with quality dry fly hackle and 1 mm foam for the head, these float well enough but also do a great job when they sink. Size 18 Bead Butt Ant below. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RickZieger 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2021 Make mine with "Shelf liner" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites