One summer afternoon, we had a reception on the back lawn here at Orvis HQ, and we were treated to a massive flying-ant hatch. Bugs were flying into people’s hair, eyes, and ears, and it was kind of frustrating to be in the middle of a conversation and have to be digging ants out of your collar. But fly fishermen know that trout love ants, and a lot of folks began inching away from the party before it was really over, as if they couldn’t wait to get down to the Battenkill to see if the same hatch was underway over the water.
There are tons of ant patterns out there, but in this great video from Tightline Productions, author and blogger Matt Grobert demonstrates how to tie a simple, yet visible and effective ant that trout will surely rise to.
Mike’s Honey Ant
Hook: Standard dry-fly hook (e.g. Dai-Riki #300), sizes 14-16.
Thread: Olive, 6/0.
Abdomen: Copper Sow-Scud Dubbing.
Legs:Copper Pearlescent Krystal Flash.
Wing: Dark dun straight Zelon.
Thorax: Rusty brown Australian possum dubbing.
Note: Try tying this pattern in all black or cinnamon.
Another great video by Matt and Tim!
Great pattern! I’ll be throwing some of these on the Henry’s Fork following Labor Day.
Nice looking ant. Will give this pattern a try for sure.