Fly Pattern: Karen Royer's Flying Black Ant

    Tyer's Name: Karen Royer
    Date: July 5, 2010	
	   
    Fly Originator and History: This is a Karen Royer original.

                                       How the Fly is Fished
    Suggested line and leader: Floating line, tapered leader,  4X or 5X 
    fluorocarbon tippet.   
    Depth range: On the surface, or in the film once the fly has absorbed water. 
    Suggested retrieve: Very slow or none.
    Comments: As the dubbing absorbs water, the ant will sink below the surface, 
    suggesting a drowning ant.

                                       Fly Material
    Hook make /size / length: #6 Nymph, 3XL.
    Thread: size / color / type:  8/0 Black Uni Thread.
    Weighted? y/n: No.
    Body material / color: Hairline 'Hare's Ear Dubbing', black, Raffia.
    Note: Karen suggests NOT using Hairline's 'Hare's Ear Plus' dubbing.
    Legs: 6 hackle feathers with the barbs stripped-off (use your low quality 
    feathers)
    Wing size / color: Dried perch tail fin.
    Head size / color:  Hair's Ear dubbing, same as the body.
    Mandibles: Peacock herl.
    Other:  UV Knot Sense or UV Wader Repair cement. 
            Ultraviolet flash light. 
            Several inches of Kevlar thread to complete the tie-off of the fly.
            Candle for heating a bodkin or needle.
            Dubbing wax - Karen uses a toilet wax ring as her source for dubbing wax.
	
                                       Tying Instructions
    1. Fold a 2-1/2" strip of raffia in half. At the fold, pierce it with a bodkin, 
    then slip it onto the hook. The fold of the raffia should be facing towards the eye.

    2. Lay down a smooth thread base from just behind the eye to the bend (just 
    above the barb). Tie in and secure the raffia at the bend. Once folded over, 
    the 'tabs' of raffia will have to be positioned over the top and bottom of the shank.

    3. Abdomen. Dub the thread, and then lightly wax to the dubbing. Form 
    the abdomen by wrapping the waxed dubbing. Cover the abdomen with the raffia 
    by pulling it forward over the dubbing. Secure the abdomen. It is OK to have 
    the sides of the abdomen exposed.

    4. Thorax. Pull the raffia back and add 3-4 wraps against the raffia. 
    Dub the thread, and then lightly wax to the dubbing. Wrap to create the thorax.

    5. Legs. All of the ant's legs are in the thorax section. Strip the 
    quills and trim any "hairs" that remain. Crimp the thick ends of the quills 
    with your thumb nail (this will give a better point with which to tie down the leg). 

    6. Tie in one leg at a time. All legs should face toward the back of the fly. 
    Tie in the first set of legs at the crimp. Cover the bare thread with a very 
    small amount of dubbing. Repeat for the second and third set of legs.

    7. Bring the top portion of the raffia forward, over the thorax and secure, 
    then repeat for the bottom portion. 

    8. Color the abdomen, thorax, and legs with a black Sharpie. Seal with UV using 
    dubbing needle to coat raffia. Use UV light (or sunlight) to set UV glue.

    9. Wings. Cut 2 pieces of perch membrane that lie between the tail spines 
    and add one at a time.

    10. Head. Dub the thread, and then lightly wax to the dubbing. Wrap to 
    create the head.

    11. Mandibles. Using an eraser, remove the fine 'hairs' on the peacock herl. 
    Tie in some of the peacock herl at each eye and secure with thread. Pull the 
    raffia forward and tie to secure keeping peacock hurls to sides. Pull raffia 
    back to joint between head and thorax and secure. Cut off excess.

    12. Tying off. Karen likes to tie off the fly similarly to the way guides 
    are tied off on fishing rods.  Using Kevlar thread lay a loop behind the head, 
    with the loop facing away from the eye. Wrap 4 - 9 wraps of thread over the Kevlar. 
    Keeping tension on the thread, cut it, and thread the tag end through the loop. 
    Pull the Kevlar ends such that it draws the thread under the wraps. Pull fairly 
    tight, and nip the excess thread.

                                         Bottom view

    13. Finishing touches. Practice using some quills before actually performing 
    the following step. Avoid over heating the needle!  Using a Sharpie color 
    remainder of the body black. Seal with UV. Bend legs with hot dubbing needle. 
    To prevent overheating/damaging the legs, bend the thin legs first. 

        Sharon Prosser 07/18/10