Terrestrial · Trout · Grayling · Intermediate · 1 version
As tied by AvidMax
Materials
Hook Umpqua X-Series XT050 BN5X Stubby T dry fly hook, size 16 (18, or 20 for finicky fish)
Thread UTC Ultra Thread, black, 70 denier
Body and head Hareline Super Fine dry fly dubbing, black
Hackle Whiting Farms Pro Grade half cape, black
Flash Wapsi Midge Flash, pearl
Wing case Wapsi elk rump hair (bleached in the video)
How to tie it
Put an Umpqua X-Series Stubby T hook in the vise (size 16 shown; the tyer fishes them down to 18, and 20 for finicky fish). Start black UTC 70 denier thread and lay a thread base.
Wax the thread. Dub a dab of black Hareline Super Fine dubbing and, working the same spot, build a ball-shaped back body segment at the rear of the hook. Add a second noodle if it needs to be bigger.
Tie in a small black dry fly hackle from high on the neck, shiny side up, and spiral it through the body segment. Lock it down and trim the excess; the tyer says it does not need to be neat.
Tie in a few strands of pearl flash behind the hackle so they reach to about the middle of the body segment, then trim.
Tie in a clump of bleached elk hair as the wing case, like an elk hair caddis, so the tips reach a little past the body. Trim the butts close to the hook and add a couple more wraps.
Make the head with the same black dubbing: a dime-sized pinch rolled into a noodle and wound into an ant-shaped head. Whip finish.