Bodkin / Patterns

Carpenter Ant

Terrestrial · Trout · Panfish · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry-fly hook, 10-14
  • Thread Black 8/0

Materials

  • Body Black ostrich herl (Fine dry-fly dubbing)
  • Hackle Black hackle (One dry-fly neck hackle)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the hook and lay a thin thread base to the bend.
  2. Dub a fat, shiny rear gaster over the back third of the shank, then take a bare thread wrap to pinch the waist.
  3. Tie in a black hackle at the waist.
  4. Dub a slightly smaller front hump (the head/thorax) forward, leaving room at the eye.
  5. Wrap the hackle 2-3 turns through the waist only, then bind and snip it so the legs sit at the pinch.
  6. Whip finish at the eye and, if you want it to sit lower, trim the hackle flat underneath.

Tying videos

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