I don’t really like the look of white parachute posts and worse yet fluorescent orange…
I am looking for something more natural and was thinking about using wood duck flank feathers.
I am wondering if anyone else has tried this. How effective are they? Do they stand up to use? ???
Thank you!
They would work but unless you shoot your own it is kind of expensive. Dun turkey flats are a more common choice.
Okay, this is a true, ‘For What It’s Worth’ comment and not based on anything scientific. As rainbow said, this is an expensive feather and may not be necessary, insofar as the fish are concerned. So, if you think it looks better to you and you want to use woodie flank, have at it. I think most fly fishers will say that the post exists so you can wrap the hackle. Since the post is above the water and encompassed by the hackle, the trout probably never see it. But we can and its visibility, the material as well as the color, is for our benefit. So use whatever color or material you like and feel comfortable using. Okay, here’s some scientific information: Years ago I somehow learned about some study that concluded that bright orange was the easiest color to see on the water. Like I said, FWIW.
Allan
If you’re looking for visibility (I am), I agree with Allan that orange is the best; black is great under flat light/glare conditions, too. I use Congo Hair, a poly yarn that does a good job shedding water, which helps with floatation.
If you want to use wood duck, but don’t want to pay the price, substitute mallard dyed wood duck; they’ll be very elegant looking flies with either.
Regards,
Scott
They are your creations, your art. If you want to use wood duck flank feathers for your parachute posts, go for it. I’m certain the flies will be effective.
That being said, I (and most of my friends who tie) will trade you bags of mallard flank dyed to look like wood duck for your real wood duck.
Use your feathers however you want.
I think I’ll go tie a fly with a polar bear post now on a whim!
Andrew,
I would use a post approximately the length of the hook shank. It may provide the trigger of a mayfly’s wing in the trout’s window of vision. Not sure what the purpose of trimming the post is if you’re imitating an insect with upright wings…
This. Comes in variety of colors (including woodie).
I use poly yarn. It floats, is lightweight, available in a variety of colors, and is easy to work with.
Scott, I think wood duck flank feathers are a good bit stiffer that mallard and that might make a real difference with parachute posts. I am much too much a cheapskate to use something as expensive as wood duck flank for parachute posts so I’m afraid I cannot answer to using that for posts.
Regards,
Ed
Ed,
I pulled a couple feathers out for comparison; wood duck on left, mallard on right
Just based on my tactile sense, I didn’t find much difference in relative stiffness (markings on wood duck are much nicer, no surprise); I’ll leave it up to tyers to decide.
Agreed; that wood duck feather’s going back into the bag with the rest of the skin. 
Regards,
Scott
Just for curiosity’s sake, I pulled a few fibers off the wood duck (then put it back) and tied up a March Brown
Regards,
Scott
Very nice looking fly, Scott
Scott, that fly certainly looks good and the mallard seems to be well-marked and able to stand up to posting.
Thanks,
Ed
I think an often overlooked post material for parachutes is the CDC feather. They are pretty cheap and come in a variety of colors. They offer the semblance of wing structures, I believe.
Here’s some with the Congo Hair posts (sorry, no orange); not as organic or as aesthetically pleasing (maybe), but easier for me to see and like I said, the stuff sheds water and helps keep it on top.
Regards,
Scott
Is Congo Hair basically the same material as EP Trigger Point fibers?
Joe
Joe,
Don’t have any experience with the Trigger Point product, but it’s very similar to the EP Fibers, just a whole lot cheaper; pretty sure it’s polypropylene. Andrew, sorry to take your post off on a synthetic tangent.
Regards,
Scott
If you think the feathers are nice, wood ducks taste even better than they look!
Scott, that’s really a cool looking fly! Never have I seen a post like that before.
J.
Jeremy,
Thanks. The wood duck is pretty easy to work with; no special issues posting it up.
Regards,
Scott