Fly Patterns
Perfect Ant
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DESIGNED BY:Ralph Cutter HOOK: 9300 THREAD: Black or red ABDOMEN: Antron, black or red WING/LEGS: Brown hackle SHELL: Deer hair, black or red THORAX: Antron, black or red |
| An ant in your hand does not look like an ant
in the water. Ants are covered with minute bristles that capture
glistening air bubbles. Most ant imitations look fake when viewed
from underwater because they lack the tell tale sheen of the
real thing. The Perfect Ant (don't take the name too seriously
. . . the day anything in flyfishing is perfect is the day I
take up lawn darts) has a fat Antron abdomen. Antron is a tri-lobal fabric that has the ability to trap numerous bubbles of
air, which, of course, is what the natural ant does. The shell
is deer hair. Deer hair is naturally buoyant so it helps to
hold the fly in the film. The parachute hackle not only balances
the fly but does a great job imitating the impression the legs
(and wing if it's there) make on the water around the bug. Try
using this fly in size ten or twelve. Our carpenter ants are
huge and the Perfect Ant does a good job imitating our beetles.
As a note: most ants quickly drown and are eaten as they bounce
along the river bed. Try nymphing with an ant and split shot,
you'll be amazed!
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