Hackle Diameter to wing post max. size

[AlanB]

Hello,
Over the past few seasons fishing and tying Klinkhammers, amongst other parachute emergers, I believe that there is a relationship to how tall the parachute post is to the diameter of the hackle. If the post is made too long the fly can fall over and not sit in the correct attitude. For my parachutes I now use a hackle post that is about 1/2 the diameter of the wound hackle.

This became important to me as when I tied parachutes for customers I always left the hackle post long so that the customer can trim it to how they want it. Most fish the post as I leave it so it was important to make sure the fly was balanced.

I was just wondering what you all think about this?

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Fill a bowl, with some water. Drop a fly into the water, as if it was landing from a cast (you might want to attach a bit of tippet material, to the eye of the fly).

If the fly falls over, as you have stated, then cut material from the post, until the fly lands properly. Then you will know, how tall the post should be for that pattern in a given size.

The fly tipping over on the water, is most likely caused by, too small of a diameter base (parachute hackle), in relation to the length and amount of material used in the post construction.

~ Parnelli






[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 22 March 2005).]