Parachute Ant
Ants fall onto the water throughout the summer and are a constant food source for trout, particularly on warm afternoons when winged ants swarm and crash-land on the surface. The Parachute Ant's segmented body — two distinct balls of dubbing separated by a narrow waist — is immediately recognizable to feeding fish. The white parachute post makes it easy to track in glassy pools and slow eddies where subtle sipping rises occur.
- Type
- dry fly (Terrestrial)
- Hook sizes
- #14–18
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Best seasons
- summer, fall
Materials
- hook: Dry fly hook #14–18
- thread: Black 8/0
- abdomen: Black dubbing, rear ball
- post: White poly yarn or white CDC
- hackle: Black cock, parachute style around post
- thorax: Black dubbing, front ball
Tying steps
- Mount a size 14–18 dry fly hook; start black thread at the bend.
- Dub a small ball of black dubbing at the rear to form the abdomen.
- Leave a narrow gap of bare thread at the waist.
- Tie in a white poly yarn or CDC post upright at the waist.
- Stand the post and tie in a black cock hackle at its base.
- Dub a slightly larger ball of black dubbing in front of the post as the thorax.
- Wind 4–5 turns of hackle parachute-style around the post.
- Secure hackle tips with thread wraps; build small head, whip finish, and cement.