Bodkin / Patterns

Medusa Ant

Terrestrial · Trout · Panfish · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook curved scud hook (Gamakatsu C12 / Fulling Mill 5065), 12
  • Thread black 100 denier GSP

Materials

  • Dry-fly dubbing Black dubbing (body)
  • Dry-fly dubbing Brown dubbing (body)
  • Sculpin wool Cream sculpin wool (wing post)
  • Ripple Ice Hair Mother of pearl (few fibers)
  • Ice Dub Gunmetal grey ice dub (thorax)
  • CDC feathers Black cdc feathers (2 (parachute hackle))

How to tie it

  1. Start thread mid-shank and dub a tight black ball at the rear for the back segment of the ant.
  2. Dub a thin waist forward, then a second brown/black dubbing lump at the front to make the two-hump ant silhouette, stopping at the 70% mark.
  3. Over the front lump stand up a short post of cream sculpin wool blended with a few mother-of-pearl Ripple Ice Hair fibers as the wing/indicator.
  4. Touch-dub a pinch of gunmetal Ice Dub around the wing base for a flashy thorax.
  5. Wind two black CDC feathers parachute-style around the wing post, 3-4 turns, sweeping the fibers out flat.
  6. Post the thread down, whip finish at the base of the wing, and add a tiny drop of cement clear of the CDC.

Tying videos

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