Fly Spotlight - Soft Hackle Ant

Here is a great fly pattern that I have been using throughout the early mornings and afternoons.  Another great tip for using this fly is to fish it as a wet ant.  The trout still feed on it just as heavily.  It is easy to tie and fun to fish!

I came across this tyer by searching the internet for new and different terrestrial patterns.  This ant pattern is a classic ant pattern but there was one thing that caught my attention.  The cool thing about Tyler Befus is that he is a younger kid who is extremely passionate about fishing and tying flies, so I thought I would give him a little shout out for his great work! Enjoy!

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"Ants get blown into the water by the wind and washed into the water by rain.  Sometimes they float and sometimes they sink.  This fly sinks real slow like a drowned ant.  I tie this on a nymph hook and use a soft hackle to help it sink just below the surface.  Trout and panfish love to eat these during the spring and summer.  You can tie the same pattern using a dry fly hook, dry fly dubbing and rooster hackle so it will float on the surface.  Try different colors and sizes.  I hope you catch lots of fish this ant pattern."

-Tyler Befus

Hook: Tiemco 3769, Size 10 - 20

Thread: Black Ultra thread 70 denier

Abdomen: Peacock Ice Dub

Thorax: Peacock Ice Dub

Hackle: Whiting Black Hen Neck