Parachute fly- post and hackle

 

A lot of emerger type flies are tied with a parachute hackle rather than a traditional hackle mainly because the finished fly sits deeper in the water. The technique for tying in the parachute hackle is similar to that for tying in a traditional dry fly hackle except the hackle is wound around a post as apposed to the shank of the hook.

Process

A
  1. Tie a post onto the shank of the hook.

B
  1. Select a dry fly hackle with barbules that are about half the hook length long.
  2. Tie the hackle in just behind the post with the dull side facing forward.

C
  1. Hold the top of the post with your left hand and with your right hand wind the hackle firmly round the post on the horizontal plane and as close to the hook shank as possible.
  2. Take up to ten further wraps of hackle making sure that each wrap of hackle is below the previous wrap.

D
  1. When you are satisfied with the amount of hackle, pull the hackle forward over the front of the fly.
  2. Whilst keeping the tension on the hackle tip with your right hand lift front hackles out of the way with your left hand and at the same time tightly grip the excess hackle on the top of the hook shank.
  3. Using the fly tiers pinch take a couple of wraps of the thread securing the hackle in position.

E
  1. Whilst pulling on the butt end of the hackle with one hand trim the excess hackle off with a blade.
  2. Trim the post down to about the same length as the gape of the hook.



Last Updated: January 8, 2011
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Categories: Free fly tying