Amy's Ant -- By Jack Dennis -- Step by step

This week is going to be step by step week. Everyday this week I will post a step by step of some of my favorite flies I tie. This fly was designed by Jack Dennis.  Named after his daughter and is a slayer on the Teton river and the South Fork of the Snake river. It is not a technical fly but has a lot of steps.

Amy's Ant

Hook:  Mustad 9672 size 6-12
Thread:  Tan 6/0
Under foam:  Tan 2mm
Top Foam:  Brown 2mm
Body: Lt. brown ice chenille
Hackle:  Brown saddle
Under wing:  Back krystal flash
Upper wing:  Elk body hair
Front body:  Peacock black dazzle dubbing
Legs:  Black round rubber legs

First step of course is to start your thread.

The first piece of foam needs to be cut like a tipless arrow. The foam should be a little smaller that the gap of the hook.

The brown foam needs a slit cut and the same size as the tan foam above.

Now tie in the tan foam with about 1/8th of an inch hanging out back. Then tie it down all the way to the eye of the hook.

Next tie in the brown foam the same length as the tan.

Side view of the tie in.

Now tie in one set of legs on each side.

Like a lot of my foam flies I need to hold back the materials that are hanging. I use a piece of scrap lead wire and wrap it around the hook tip and materials.

Tie in the hackle and then the ice chenille.

Wrap the brown chenille.  Leave about 1/4th of the shank bare.

Wrap the hackle and tie off at the same point.

Now clip the hackle close to the body.

Here is a public service announcement.  Ever have problems getting your krystal flash out?  Just make a slit in it and use your whip finisher hooks and pull a couple pieces out a time.

Pull the brown strip of foam over and tie it to the eye of the hook.  Cover the remainder shank with thread. Tie in about 10 pieces of your black krystal flash. Make sure it splays out a little.

splayed out krystal flash.

Take a generous amount of elk hair and tie it in a little longer than the tail. This shows shorter but try and hold that and the camera and having the shakes.  It is rough lol

Tie that wing in and make sure o wrap a little into the butts to anchor it down.

Cut the tips and make sure you cover all the tips with your thread.

Now with your dazzle dubbing, dub the empty spot. Dub to the end of the elk hair towards the back of the fly.

Now fold back the brown foam where the thread lays and tie the foam down.

Tie in your last set of rubber legs at that point. Tie off your thread and the tying is done. 

This is the bottom of the fly

Cut the brown and tan foam in the front as below. Of course this serves no purpose but I like to do it.






Thanks everyone for viewing