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April 2003
by Rich Johnson
Fly of the Month: Parachute Adams
Notes: I'm getting old enough that "New and Improved", in my opinion, is not always better. It's not that I'm against progress, fly tying has improved so much since the days I started that I don't have enough time to try every thing that I want to. I find new materials and techniques that I think are worth a try all the time. But my point is, don't forget the tried and true. This point was clarified last summer while I was fishing over a large pod of very jaded rainbows on the Lower Russian River. After trying several newer patterns I saw a couple Parachute Adams in a corner of my box. I had tied these early in the summer after a conversation with Ed Atwell about his dry fly pattern selection process. He uses Parachute Adams, a couple different sizes, and occasionally with an olive body, but it's his go to pattern when fishing dries. Well long story shorter, on the 4th , and my best, drift the largest fish I seen in the pod rose with confidence and sucked in my size 12 parachute. Sorry, there's no picture; it was a short battle in heavy water with a light tippet. But it made my day.
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Hook: Standard Dry Fly
Thread: 6/0 black
Wing: Calf body, white (*see note in tying sequence)
Tail: Hackle fibers; mixed grizzly/brown
Body: Muskrat fur, dubbed
Hackle: Mixed grizzly/brown
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1) Wrap a thread base from just behind the eye, back to mid-shank and then forward to about the one-third point on the shank. This creates a base for the wing fibers to bind to. |
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2) Cut, clean, and stack a bundle of calf body hair. Measure the hair to be 1-1/2 to 2 times longer than the hook gape, cut the butt end at a taper and tie in with wraps that move rearward. Bring your thread all the way to the back of the shank.
* Different materials can be used for the wing. See the Delong Lake Special, FOM June '99, for a discussion on different hairs and synthetics. Some anglers like fluorescent dyed materials that can be seen better in low light conditions. |
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3) Dub a small amount of fur on your thread and create a small ball at the end of the body.
This step is optional on most parachute instructions, but I like to do it as it allow the tail fibers to flair upward and splay out. This creates a wider base to support the rear of the fly in the surface film. |
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4) Mix fibers from a grizzly and a brown hackle. Use two (2) soft loops to attach the tail fibers to the shank just in front of the fur bump. Use your fingers to splay the fibers and place a few firm wraps forward to secure the tail. I prefer the hackles from the side of a neck, or the very end of a saddle. These feathers usually have the longest, stiff fibers.
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5) Dub fur onto your thread and build a tapered body up to the base of the wing. As always with dubbing; go light on material and make more wraps for a tight body.
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6) Lift and post the wing. See FOM 6/99 for additional discussion on posting.
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7) Prepare two hackles by stripping away the softer base fibers. Tie in at a slight angle as shown. It helps if you leave a small amount bare stem above the wraps. This allows the stem to begin its wraps
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8) Dub the rest of the body. Because you're going wrap the hackle around the wing you should bring your dubbing fairly close to the eye. |
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9) Wrap the first hackle (I like to start with dominant color, in this case, grizzly). Place each wrap underneath the previous wrap, bringing the feather down to the body. Tie off with four (4) wraps. Try to capture just the stem on the first wrap to minimize bulk. Do not cut the tip off. |
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10) Wrap the second hackle through the first. Be careful, working the stem through the grizzly fibers so as not to trap and crush them. Unwrap three of the four wraps holding the first hackle. Again, trying to capture just the stem, secure the second hackle with three wraps. Clip both tips and any stray fibers. Half hitch and whip finish. |
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Comments: This angled, top view shows the parachute style hackles and splayed tail. This combination makes for a very stable, low riding fly. Parachutes can be created out of almost any of your favorite patterns, simply alter the wing into a single post and wrap the hackle horizontally. Spend some time this spring and tie up a couple parachutes and give them a try when those newer and improved patterns are getting snubbed.
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