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McFlyLures

Simple Ant dry fly

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Ant patterns can be one of the most effective patterns during the right times of year. When you start seeing flying ants floating in the water, you should really throw these. This is a simple and easy flying ant dry fly that works well. Its quick enough to tie many quickly, and you can fill your box with a number of different sizes of this pattern. Its also very durable.

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6 hours ago, niveker said:

Very nice, Mr. McFly. Could double as a little black caddies pattern also. 

I can se this tied in orange, tan or olive with a single segment just for that purpose!

Kim

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Yeah it definitely could be tied for caddis with a thicker and non segmented body.   It isn’t my pattern, it’s been around for a while.   And yeah, there are lots of great ant patterns out there for sure.  

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14 hours ago, SilverCreek said:

Here's a simple ant pattern tied with not melt glue and a cigarette lighter.

 

Who is Barry Ord Clark? I keep seeing his name mentioned on another site.

 

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I did dubbing versions of those back when i first started tying flies.   I like your version and the hot glue version as well.    Both would be great as well.  I’ve never seen black hot glue but i am now on the look out for yet another item to add to the stash.   
 

 

CFEE186A-EA30-49D1-9302-651D0256AA42.jpeg

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Heck I'll play too. @McFlyLuresnice vid, nice ant. I tie some that are similar but hackle em in the middle. I also like deer hair ants too. 

PHOTO_20210122_114411.jpg

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Does the wing (not the grizzly hackle) add to the buoyancy of the fly of is it more for show ?

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41 minutes ago, robow7 said:

Does the wing (not the grizzly hackle) add to the buoyancy of the fly of is it more for show ?

I am quite sure it’s Antron, which should buoyant.  Also I add floatant to all my dry flies so, it should yes.  

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3 hours ago, robow7 said:

Does the wing (not the grizzly hackle) add to the buoyancy of the fly of is it more for show ?

 

2 hours ago, McFlyLures said:

I am quite sure it’s Antron, which should buoyant.  Also I add floatant to all my dry flies so, it should yes.  

On the contrary. This is a common misconception.

The wing CANNOT help the ant float because it is ABOVE the body of the fly. Therefore it adds mass to the fly and actually helps it sink.

It reminds me of the time I read a fly tying article in which the fly tier said he used foam for parachute posts because  it helped the fly float! Wrong. Parachute posts are above the water level and above the body of the fly and therefore cannot help the fly float.

Think about it logically and look at the fly! It is the palmered hackle that distributes the weight of the fly on the water surface. It is the hackle that helps the fly float.

1844215167_ScreenShot2021-01-24at9_50_28PM.thumb.png.eb81bf159eee593ad35e9d84ffe398e1.png

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I am going to disagree with you a little here on that silver.   Many flies, the body will hang below the water.  So therefore it will float usually at an angle from the wing to the front of the head.  Some hackle under water, half the body under water.  I’ve tested many flies in water, both from what I tie and flies I get from the fly shops.   With many flies that have wings like this, the wing actually does rest on the water surface and help it float.  

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