Parachute Adams
The parachute configuration sits the fly flush in the film, making it irresistible to selective trout on flat water. The white calf-hair post is easy to see at distance, and the horizontal hackle creates a lifelike footprint on the surface. It is especially effective during Baetis and PMD hatches and is arguably the most versatile dry fly ever designed.
- Type
- dry fly (Mayfly)
- Hook sizes
- #14–22
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best seasons
- spring, summer, fall
Materials
- hook: Dry fly hook #14–22
- thread: Gray 8/0
- tail: Grizzly and brown hackle fibers mixed
- body: Gray or olive-gray dubbing
- post: White calf body hair or poly yarn
- hackle: Grizzly and brown, parachute style around post
Tying steps
- Mount hook and wrap a thread base to the bend; tie in mixed brown and grizzly hackle fibers as a split tail.
- Dub a slim body of gray dubbing to the 3/4 point.
- Stack a small bunch of white calf body hair and tie in upright at the 3/4 point with several tight wraps.
- Stand the post upright and make 5–6 tight wraps around its base to secure it firmly.
- Attach one grizzly and one brown hackle at the base of the post, tips pointing down.
- Wind both hackles together 5–6 turns clockwise around the post, working downward.
- Capture the hackle tips with thread wraps on the shank below the post base.
- Advance thread to eye, build a neat head with figure-eight under the wing, whip finish, and cement.