Hi Vis Silk Parachute Ant

Hi-Vis Silk Parachute Ant

Materials Needed:
Hook:  Dry Fly #14,16,18
Thread:  Black 8/0
Body:  Silk Dubbing-Black
Post:  Kreinik 1/8” Ribbon 051F  (or try 054F, 055F)
Hackle:  Grizzly

1.)  Tie in 1/8” Ribbon post 1/4 of the way back from hook eye.  Lay a piece of 1/8” Ribbon across the hook shank and tie down.  Then pull the two ends of the ribbon upward and wrap your tying thread several times around the post formed by the 1/8“ Ribbon so the ribbon ends are pointing upward. 

2.)  Wrap thread to bend of hook and build up the lower abdomen with Kreinik Silk Dubbing.

3.)  Wrap your tying thread forward to the post.  Trim the butt section of the hackle feather and tie the trimmed end right behind the parachute post.  Wrap the hackle around the post about 5 times.  Stroke the hackle barbs back, tie off hackle and trim excess.

4.)  Dub the front part of the ant body around the parachute post with Kreinik Silk Dubbing.  Make sure to dub the front so that it is smaller than the rear abdomen of the fly.  Whip finish and trim tying
thread.

5.)  Using the points of your scissors, pick the fibers of the 1/8” Ribbon post apart and trim to desired length.

Cinnamon Ant Variant:  Use Brown tying thread, Cinnamon Brown Silk Dubbing and Furnace Hackle.

Note:  The 1/8” Ribbon colors listed glow in the dark when exposed to light.  When fishing in low
light conditions, you can use a camera flash to make the post glow for a few minutes.

Kreinik Krayfish

My first introduction to fishing with crayfish included catching them in the shallows along the banks of the Potomac river, baiting my hook and casting the bait into the current.  Each time I cast my bait into the current resulted in another Potomac Smallmouth on the end of my line.  Ever since that day (24 years ago) this type of pattern has been a staple in my tackle box and fly boxes.  Its pretty simple to fish.  I fish it like I would a nymph on a downstream drift, and then retrieve in short, jerky strips.  Its also very effective in pulling stubborn fish out from underneath rocks.

Kreinik Krayfish

Designed by Al Hafner

Materials Needed:

• Hook:  #4 - 6  Mustad 9672
• Thread:  6/0 Brown
• Body:  Kreinik Heavy Braid (Curry - 2122)
• Antennae:  Kreinik Metallic Flash in a Tube (Copper Hi Lustre - 021HL)
• Thorax:  Kreinik Micro Ice Chenille, Rootbeer (MIC14)
• Hackle:  Grizzly, Brown, or Furnace
• Weight:  Fine lead wire (optional)

Tying Directions:

1.  Wrap hook shank with thread foundation and add weight to middle third.  If you fish with a sink tip line, you do not need to add weight.

2.  Tie in 3-4 strands of Flash at the bend of the hook, extending at least 1 inch beyond the bend.

3.  At the bend of the hook, build up a small ball of thread.  This will help keep the “claws” separated.

4.  Cut two 8 inch pieces of Heavy Braid, tie them on opposite sides of the rear third of the hook, leaving 1/2 inch extending beyond the bend of the hook, and the remainder extending forward.  The rear extensions will form the claws later on.

5.  Tie in the Micro Ice Chenille and tie it off.  Overwrap the Micro Ice Chenille with the hackle, tie off, then cut the thread.

6.  Using the long ends of the Heavy Braid, weave the body by using the overhand knot technique or the half hitch weave.  To help keep track of the different ends, tie a small knot in one end.  Braid the body from the end of the Micro Ice Chenille to the eye of the hook.  Reattach the tying thread, then tie off the braid, add head cement.

Note:  There is a great article on Hatches Magazine Detailing this technique.  Click here to see the article.

7.  The Heavy Braid forms both the claws and the tail.  Use a dubbing needle to pick apart the fibers of the braids extending beyond both ends of the hook.

Other body colors often used for this pattern are:  Red (003), Emerald (009HL), Copper (021), Brookie (034), Bronze (052HL), Verdigris (154V) and Mallard (850).