How to Tie Amy's Ant Fly Pattern

Learn how to tie the Amy's Ant fly pattern, including step-by-step instructions, a video tutorial, pictures, and much more. Improve your fly-tying skills here.

The Amy's Ant pattern was created by Jack Dennis in the late 1990's to be fished in the famous Jackson Hole one fly tournament which it won in 1999. A hybrid between an ant, hopper, and stonefly, Amy’s Ant is a great pattern for a variety of freshwater river fishing scenarios.

Material List

• Hook: TMC 5262
• Thread: Veevus GSP 100 in Black
• Under Body: 2mm Fly Foam Tan
• Over Body: 2mm Fly Foam Light Olive
• Hackel: Rooster Neck or Saddle Hackle Brown
• Body: Hareline Olive Krystal Chenille
• Underwing: Hareline Rainbow Krystal Flash
• Overwing: Hairline Elk or Deer Hair
• Legs: Hareline Medium Rubber Legs Brown
• Thorax: Hareline Peacock Ice Dubbing

Step One

Establish a base by running the thread from below the eye to the hook’s barb.

Step Two

Our first material is tan foam for the underbody. Before tying on the shank, trim the sides from one of the ends.

Step Three

Secure the foam material near the bend, with the trimmed point extending past the rear. Next, cover the shank with Zap-A-Gap, then seat the forward-facing foam over the glue.

Step Four

Reinforce the foam by making several wraps before the eye and down to the bend.

Step Five

We’re now moving onto the olive foam, but before we tie it on, be sure to trim a small V-shape notch on the rear tip.

Step Six

Secure the olive foam on top of the tan with the V-shape-end extending past the bend. Leave the forward-facing foam strip uncovered, and we’ll finish the body later.

Step Seven

For Amy Ant’s legs, secure a strand of the rubber legs material on either side of the shank at the center of the material.

Step Eight

Prepare the hackle feather by removing the fuzzy fibers by the tip, then secure it in front of the legs with the flowy section positioned past the bend.

Step Nine

We’re using chenille for the body. Remove some material from the tip end, then tie on in front of the feather, then palmer the tag-end up the shank with overlapping wraps. Secure and clip the excess material near the eye.

Step Ten

Now that the body is finished, advance the feather to the eye, then secure it before the eye. Be sure to trim the hackles down before moving on.

Step Eleven

Finish the green foam portion by bringing the material forward and securing it before the eye. Leave the now forward-facing foam section intact for now.

Step Twelve

We’re now moving on to Krystal Flash. First, double over four strands, then clip in the center. Next, tie them at the fabric’s center on top of the shank, then pull the forward-facing stands reward and secure.

Step Thirteen

After stacking a small clump of hair, trim the tips, then secure on the shank with the rear fibers reaching near the tail for the wing. Start with loose wraps, then gradually crank down. Trim the forward-facing hairs before moving on.

Step Fourteen

Trim the Krystal Flash to roughly the same length as the wing.

Step Fifteen

Apply dubbing to the thread, then make a few wraps before the eye for the head.

Step Sixteen

Complete the green foam section by pulling the material rearward and securing it before the head, then trimming it to around half the length of the wing.

Step Seventeen

Before we tie on the final material, trim the tan foam slightly shorter than the green.

Step Eighteen

The final ingredient is the rubber legs for the fly’s front section. Tie on a strand on either side of the shank, then secure a whip finish.

Step Nineteen

Before the Amy Ant fly is ready to hit the water, trim the front and rear legs slightly shorter than the shank’s length.