Cinnamon Toast Ant

Not for human consumption

Cinnamon Toast Ant with the Rising Brookie net

The good thing about having friends that are super fishy is that they give you the feedback needed to create killer bugs.  Around 2005 Bryan Gregson requested an ant of some sort to take to some small streams that he had been fishing, but you have to know that Bryan has fished about everything under the sun.  I looked at a lot of ants online, and I looked at a bunch of fly patterns to make sure I didn't give him anything that he already had before I hit the vise.  I tied up a prototype ant that was kind of similar to the now-named Cinnamon Toast Ant, and sent him on his way.  They ran into an unexpected Green Drake hatch that weekend, and since he was there to do some product testing, he followed through with his promise of fishing this cinnamon ant.  Well, he was glad that he did, because this ant outperformed all of the green drake imitations that they were fishing.  

Cinnamon Toast Ant

His feedback was to make it more visible and to make it float better - check and check.  Similar to the Unsinkabeetle, this fly has cartoonish wings that stick up and out to sides, making it more visible.  I also changed the hook from a heavier wire scud hook to a Gamakatsu C12 because I really like the hook gap and the light wire diameter.  It's great because the back half hangs just low enough in the water, but not so low that it's hard to see.  So far, we have fished this fly for picky stillwater trout and some terrestrial eating river fish.  The consensus is that they LOVE cinnamon toast.  If you tie this one, make sure to tie the Black Toast Ant as well.

Buy the Cinnamon Toast Ant HERE
Buy the Black Toast Ant HERE

Recipe:

Cinnamon Toast Ant

Hook: Gamakatsu C12 or Daiichi 1130 #10-14 (BUY HERE)

Thread: MFC premium thread 6/0- Rusty brown (BUY HERE) (even though we didn't use it in the video.)

Underbody: Nature's Spirit hare's mask dubbing - Rusty spinner (BUY HERE)

Body and head: Fly foam 2mm - Rootbeer (BUY HERE)

Wings: Sparkle emerger yarn - Cream (BUY HERE)

Hackle: Whiting dark barred ginger cape or saddle (BUY HERE)

Black Toast Ant

Hook: Gamakatsu C12 or Daiichi 1130 #10-14 (BUY HERE)

Thread: MFC premium thread 6/0- Black (BUY HERE) (even though we didn't use it in the video.)

Underbody: Nature's Spirit hare's mask dubbing - Black (BUY HERE)

Body and head: Fly foam 2mm - Black (BUY HERE)

Wings: Sparkle emerger yarn - Cream (BUY HERE)

Hackle: Whiting grizzly or black cape or saddle (BUY HERE)