If you’ve ever watched a mayfly dun hatch you will
understand why I like my parachute patterns with
divided wings. The emerging insect first appears
in my world as a small lump floating in/on the
water’s surface. As the emergence continues its
wings start unfolding. At first they are crumpled
but separated and as they dry they become straight
and divided. When the wings are completely dry
they come together and the mayfly leaves the water.
I think the fish learn the emerging dun is unable
to fly when its wings are divided and will key on
that fact. I find this especially true in slow
water like a spring creek where the fish have
plenty of time to study its prey. Obviously,
this idea has less merit in many freestone streams
where the fish has limited time to study its
intended meal.
Does the divided wing make a difference? I
really don’t know but 'm sure of one thing, I
catch a heck of a lot of fish on a divided wing
parachute. One could argue that’s because
ninety percent of the time when I’m fishing a
parachute pattern it hqs divided wings. I believe
the fish just like that wing style because they
recognize it as a helpless insect unable to
escape. Whatever side of the fence you believe
really doesn’t really make any difference. My
purpose here is not to convince you one of my
“hairbrained theories” has value; instead I want
to share with you a way of tying a parachute
(using a feature of the vise) that I think is a
bit innovative.
Before I tie the fly I want to comment that the
swept-back wing style on a parachute took me the
better part of five years to figure out. Tying
the wing was no big deal but strengthening the
hackle fibers so they would support a parachute
hackle was another thing indeed. I tried
monofilament and wire hidden in the base of the
wings but was never really happy with them.
Finally I stumbled on the technique I’ll share
with you in the next few minutes.
Again, I’m using orange thread to provide contrast
between it and the tying materials. Normally I
would use tan thread on a PMD Parachute or a color
that matches the insect for other mayfly species.
Materials for the Quick’n EZY Parachute (PMD):
Hook: Size 8 to 22, dry fly.
Thread: Tan, color to match the insect.
Tail: Hackle fibers.
Wings: Looped hackle fibers.
Body: Dubbing to match the insect.
Hackle: Color to match the insect.
Step 1: Place the hook in the vise and lay down the
thread base that starts at the one-fourth position
travels to the center of the shank and back to the
starting point. Select two large, ginger feathers
from a rooster cape. Place them so the natural curve
slopes away from each other and trim off the large
end of the stem. Keep the trimmed stems even with
each other and the tips pointing to the right. Hold
the feathers in the right hand with about an inch of
the butt ends exposed and stroke back the fibers on
segments of stem each two-thirds of the hook shank
in length. Tie this unit to the hook in the center
of the stems (the part that is two-thirds the length
of the shank) using three snug but not tight thread
wraps. Do not lose control of the fiber ends in the
left hand.
Step 2: Pull on the feather tips with the right
hand allowing the fibers/stems to slip out from
under the three snug thread turns. Do not pull
too hard with the right hand or the whole swept
back unit will jump out from under the thread.
Pull on the bobbin with the right hand to tighten
the thread then place a couple tight wraps to
further anchor the wing assembly in place. During
this process, never lose control of the fibers
in the left hand.
Step 3: Release the fibers captured in the left
hand. Somewhere in that mess is the tail. It is
up to the tier to determine the fibers that are
too short or too long to form a properly
proportioned tail and get rid of them. Bind the
remaining fibers to the shank forming a tail
about as long as the complete hook. Up to this
point the process is identical to a standard
Quick 'n EZY.
Step 4: Stand up the wing assembly with a thread
dam tight in front of the fibers. At this point I
want to construct a thread-based, hackle platform
over the wing fibers. I find it a lot easier to
rotate the vise one-half turn so I don’t have to
raise my arm to wrap up the post. Wind up the wing
(even though I’m wrapping down) to the top of the
post area then go straight back to the body (the
thread is parallel to the back of the post) and
anchor the thread there with several wraps. Wrap
up the post in the opposite direct then go straight
to the body again and anchor the thread with several
wraps. I call the process of going around the wing
“pouring cement” and the straight up and down strand
of thread “placing rebar.” Go through the process one
more time ending with the piece of rebar.
Step 5: Separate the wings then trim off the waste
feather. Place the waste pieces of feather in a
clothespin for use on a future fly. Crisscross
between wings forcing them to remain separated.
Notice the wraps also form four more pieces of
rebar each paralleling the post. Leave the strands
of rebar alone for a moment; I’ll anchor them in a
few minutes.
Step 6: Place dubbing on the thread and construct
the body up to the back of the wing post. Prepare
a hackle feather by stripping the fuzzy material
from the end of the stem. Tie it to the hook
directly in front of the post. Apply more dubbing
to the thread to cover the part of the hook between
the post and the eye. Then wrap back to the post
ending with the last turn behind it.
Step 7: Rotate the jaws (not the vise) so the wings
are parallel with the tying bench surface. Wrap the
thread up the post while anchoring the stem and the
last four pieces of rebar.
Step 8: Grasp the thread and hackle with the right
hand and rotate the vise (not the jaws) to apply
the hackle. The thread platform will rotate more
or less on axis allowing for a smooth application
of the hackle.
Step 9: Wrap hackle all the way down the post until
it meets the body. Anchor the feather with two thread
wraps.
Step 10: Trim off the excess feather then place
one more turn of thread to tuck the trimmed end
under.
Step 11: Use a tool or fingers to place a whip-finish
on the base of the post.
Step 12: Trim off the thread and apply a drop of
Aqua Head to complete the fly. Often the wings
will twist during the hackling process. Don’t
worry about it; just use your fingers to straighten
them out before applying the head cement.
Step 13: I placed a double whip-finish to exaggerate
the separation between the bottom of the hackle and
the body. When you tie your fly make your whip-finish
less noticeable or just pull the thread forward to
the hook eye and tie it off there rather than on the post.
Step 14: Rotating the jaws a partial turn throws the
fly in an odd position in the picture frame but the
different angle shows a good wing profile and the
whip-finish on the bottom of the hackle platform/post.
~ Al Beatty
Credits:
This fly is an example of the terrific instruction available
in the Beatty’s new book, Rotary Fly Tying
Techniques. Read the review on it
. ~ LadyFisher
For more great flies, check out: and
Originally published April 21, 2008 on Fly Anglers Online by Al Beatty.