+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 22

Thread: Shelf liner ant

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    DFW metroplex, TX USA
    Posts
    1,164

    Default Shelf liner ant

    NOTE: Modified 2/19 based on experience tying the fly.

    I saw a great fly at the West Denver TU Fly Tying show last weekend. It is a very realistic looking ant. It is a novel pattern that starts with a sheet of Easy Liner Select Grip nubby rubber shelf lining bought at Walmart. ($5 for several lifetimes' supply.) They sell it in brown and black colors.

    He was using was using very fine nylon bristles from an old whisk broom as legs. I could not find any brush bristles that worked for me, so I'm substituting rubber Centipede Legs in the mini size. I'm also tying in only 4 legs as it is easier and I figure trout can't count.

    Materials:
    #14 1X long hook or #12.
    3 nubs from the shelf liner
    3 nylon bristles or mini Centipede Legs

    Instructions:

    If you look closely at the shelf liner sheet, you will see that each nub is attached in two places in one direction and two places in the other direction. Cut off a strip one nub wide so that the two piece connections are in front and back of each strip.

    Trim off any connections on the side of the strip very close to the nub. Then pull (not cut) the nubs off one at a time. Save the ones that have two "tags" at each end. (They will look like a slightly-flattened ball that was molded around a capital H.)

    Thread wrap the hook.

    Take a nub with two fibers sticking out of both ends.

    Tie the first nub in at the bend, tying in the front fibers first, advance your thread, then fold the nub forward over the hook and tie in the other set of nub-tags.

    Lean the second nub up against the first nub and tie in its forward fibers as close to the first nub as possible. (The closer you tie it in, the more realistic the fly will look.) Then fold this nub forward and tie on the tag fibers there.

    Tie the front fibers of the third segment in.

    Place the legs over the hook and tie in, as you would a wing, to create the legs on either side of the hook.

    Whip finish the thread behind the eye.

    Put Zap A Gap on the top of the hook behind the eye, then fold the third nub over and press it down to attach it with the Zap A Gap. The Forward nubs will then look like antennas.

    (Note: I've discovered that you can also just tie in the front tags on the front segment with a whip finish and it still looks good, just without antennas.)

    Trim the legs to the desired length.


    The shelf lining rubber looks much more glossy and natural than a standard foam. Getting the body segments very close together makes the body look marvelously realistic. The fly floats in the film, much like a real ant. It is an easy and fast tie once you do a couple of them.

    Another neat fly I saw was a foam beetle tied with a fly tying product called Loco Foam. (Google it.) This foam is black on one side, but a shiny metallic bright color on the other. Tied on correctly, the top of the beetle is easy to see on the water, while all the fish sees is a standard black beetle.
    Last edited by oldfrat; 02-19-2012 at 10:29 PM. Reason: Experience tying the fly

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Portage, PA
    Posts
    2,895

    Default

    Post a picture, I'd like to see what ine looks like.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    28433 N State Lamoni, Ia 50140
    Posts
    3,916

    Default

    You can also find it in blue. Longer strip makes a nice dragon fly. I have had good luck using two segments for the flies.

    Rick

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lastchance View Post
    Post a picture, I'd like to see what ine looks like.
    Ditto. A picture would help.

    Dave

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    1,728
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rick Z View Post
    You can also find it in blue. Longer strip makes a nice dragon fly. I have had good luck using two segments for the flies.

    Rick
    A friend at the local hospital got some for me in orange that they use for tray liners and toss it after one use... That use often involves stacking them on another tray in case they are needed. He suspects they toss hundreds of yards of new, sterile stuff, still in the packages every day... He brought me a huge bag. I find a magic marker does a great job of making the stuff about any color you want...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    DFW metroplex, TX USA
    Posts
    1,164

    Default

    Sorry, I don't have the capability to take a fly picture.

    When you pull the nubs off, they look like a somewhat flattened ball with four fine tags coming out --almost like the ball was molded around a capital H. The final fly looks very much like a real ant, with three body segments, legs and antennas.
    Last edited by oldfrat; 02-18-2012 at 01:09 AM.

  7. #7

    Default

    If you are looking for shelf liner be aware they are not all the same. It seems this type is getting harder to find.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    DFW metroplex, TX USA
    Posts
    1,164

    Default

    I looked at two different types at Walmart. The Easy Liner Select Grip is definitely the right one. It comes in two sizes. The 12" X 10' smaller one gives a lifetime supply for this ant.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Borger, Texas
    Posts
    912

    Default

    Hi Oldfrat and all,

    Rick posted something on this a while back, maybe a couple of years ago, including a photo I think. He had been playing around with the stuff, and came up with the ant I think.

    Some of you all who are good at doing a search may be able to find the post, bring it up, and then we will have a picture, if it is a similar fly.

    If I remember correctly, Rick's ant had two humps I think.

    If I am wrong on this, someone can correct me.

    Thanks and regards,

    Gandolf

  10. #10

    Default

    There is a women on you-tube that ties a hellgramite and uses the shelf liner strips as pincers.

+ Reply to Thread

Similar Threads

  1. Shelf life of adhesive materials
    By Ray Kunz in forum Fly Tying
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 12-29-2014, 10:48 PM
  2. Using Some Stuff From The Back Of The Shelf
    By Daniel J in forum Fly Tying
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 07-31-2011, 06:08 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts