Parachute Flies

[Byron haugh]

If the parachute pattern is tied to represent a low-floating dun...................why is the last step to cut the post short??




As opposed to leaving a post which might give the semblance of a dun's wings (over-exagerated below).

[Jeremy]

Because we've "always" done it that way!

Jeremy. P.S. Beats me Byron

Maybe b/c the actual wing is represented by that para hackle being flush to the surface and the post is simply the mechanical manner to produce it?

[SRT]

I like to tie and fish parachute styles. I typically tie my posts a bit sparse, leave them about a hook shank long, and trim them at an angle from font to back to represent the slope of a duns wing. I believe the post represents a wing, and can be seen as the fly enters the trouts view. I also find that leaving the post longer helps me identify my fly on the water better than a shorter white post where I often lose the fly among the various bubbles and foam in drift. Leaving the post a bit sparser keeps the post material from getting waterlogged, and tipping the fly over when it lands.

The obvious counter argument is all those high visibility posts representing the orange yellow and pink winged duns not found in nature that are fished successfully every day of the week. I do not have the same success with high visibility posts, but that could be a confidence thing on my part because I don't believe in the pink winged bug.

To add to the above point, on parachute emerger patterns such as the Klinkhammer where I am not trying to imitate a dun, but to establish another trigger, I use high visibility posts to great effect with no change in catch rates. Here I don't need to believe in a pink winged bug, as the post isn't representitive of a wing, and I think ignored by the fish, as the key trigger is the submerged abdomen.

I wonder if the fish will take a long posted parachute as a dun, and a short posted parachute as a spinner, or an emerger/cripple. With that said, I always wondered about a "sparkle parachute" much like a sparkle dun wasn't a more popular pattern. This maybe something I spend some time with in the spring.

[Gene]

I agree with srt on all of his points. I too like color appropriate wings on my parachutes, with exception of my big bugs, and klinks. Most of the big bugs are fished late evening into dark. I have found that a sparse wing soaks up less water and floats upright better. Also another reason not to tie the wings too long. Byron I also like my hackle one size larger, if tying a 14 I put on a 12. This also aids in the fly landing upright. The fly you tied is very well done and the hackle appears to be the length I like in my parachutes. My hackle extends beyond the body almost to the bend of the hook.
Gene

[lastchance]

I've always felt I did better with flies tied with a short post. Not a nub, but 3/4 to 1/2 shank length. It might be all in my head. Also, they land better on the water when using light tippet like 6X or 7X. I found at times with a high post and light tippet my tippet began to twist. But, let your experience be your teacher and allow the fish tell you what they like.

[gqualls]

"Also, they land better on the water when using light tippet like 6X or 7X. I found at times with a high post and light tippet my tippet began to twist."



These were my initial thoughts .... with a light tippet the longer wing would cause a lot of line twist.

[Steven]

If the parachute pattern is tied to represent a low-floating dun...................why is the last step to cut the post short?

News to me Byron. I've never read this before and generally leave the post about hook length long, just as I would on a Catskill.

Before coming into work, I pulled a few books and checked some vids.

AK Best ties in his turkey T-Base wings what looks to be hook length long. Randall Kaufmann ties his calf tail post about hook length long as well. In one of his vids, Davie McPhail suggests tying a CDC wing post between hook length and hook shank long. Art Sheck ties in a polypro post that's shank length. Charlie Craven uses hi-viz that's shank length.

There's a Gulper Special FOTW tutorial here at FAOL written by Dave Hughes in which he suggests the post be shank length.

Over the last couple of seasons, if I'm fishing a may fly pattern, it's most likely going to be a parachute with wonderwings hook length in size.

[Joe Billingsley]

About 75% of the parachute patterns I tie are meant to represent emergers (or that's what I mean for them to represent), whether they are on a straight shank hook or a curved shank like a Klinkhammer, so I guess the wing should be shorter than a shank's length on them if they are really meant to represent emerger wings. I don't cut them short very often because I use the wings as a sight indicator for the most part.

Joe