The Chernobyl Ant

HOOK: Tiemco 2312, Dai-Riki 710, sizes 6-8
THREAD:3/0 burnt orange monocord
BODY: black closed cell foam (Scintilla Fly - Bouy Body Foam)
INDICATOR:yellow closed cell foam (Scintilla Fly - Bouy Body Foam)
LEGS: black medium size rubber legs

Although this is not exactly the same Chernobyl Ant that won the Jackson Hole One Fly Contest in both 1995 and 1996, it is close enough to have been found extremely effective on both the Snake and South Fork rivers in the Jackson Hole area. if you wish to vary this pattern to make it closer to the one used in the One Fly contest, give it a tan foam belly.

This pattern is actually one that came here from the famous Green River below Flaming Gorge. Guide Emmet Heath tells me that this was actually developed by Mark Forslund and Allan Woolley. Mark's pattern, called the Black Mamba, was a good pattern in its own right, but it was hackled. Allan Woolley took Mark's pattern and replaced the hackle with rubber legs to produce a lifelike wiggle. The key is to give it some tiny twitches, which makes the legs move and seems to attract more fish.

1995 The Chernobyl Ant        "And then there was The Chernobyl Ant.   The winning fly of 1995's One-Fly was out of the ordinary as its names suggests. This foam-bodied fly is the product of the guides of Flaming Gorge - namely Emett Heath and the boys. While the winning fly propelled amateur Gary Eckman into the winer's circle, he claims his fly is another version of the Chernobyl Ant. No matter which version an angler might fish, there is no question that this is a deadly fly. The basic concept and design is the same - high density foam forms the abdomen and head. Ruber legs gives the critter incredible life-like action as the ant struggles in the water. The angler can fish the fly with different techniques giving the fly its ability to perform. Thus, the more skilled the fisherman, the more life-like becomes the ant. The name suggests a mutant insect so true to form that the fly can be a myriad of colors, design scheme, etc. This year's contest is sure to entertain many different varieties as a result of Gary Eckman's success. Eckman amassed 864 points for the amateur title."