Sulphur Parachute
The Sulphur Parachute is the essential evening pattern for Eastern limestone and freestone streams from May through July, when Ephemerella dorothea hatches produce the most intense surface feeding of the season. Fish it in the last 45 minutes of light as sulphur-colored duns emerge by the thousands. The parachute style rides flush and is visible in fading light — critical when targeting the rise rings of large fish in flat pools.
- Type
- dry fly (Mayfly)
- Hook sizes
- #14–18
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best seasons
- spring, summer
Materials
- hook: Dry fly hook #14–18
- thread: Yellow 8/0
- tail: Pale dun or cream hackle fibers
- body: Pale yellow or cream-yellow Superfine dubbing
- post: White or pale yellow poly yarn
- hackle: Cream or pale dun rooster, parachute
Tying steps
- Mount a size 14–18 dry fly hook; start yellow thread at the bend.
- Tie in pale dun hackle fibers as a split tail.
- Dub a pale yellow or cream-yellow body to the 3/4 mark.
- Tie in a white or pale yellow poly yarn post upright; make 6 base wraps.
- Attach a cream or pale dun hackle at the post base.
- Wind 5–6 parachute turns around the post; capture the tip with thread.
- Build a small head with figure-eight wraps; whip finish and cement.
- Check the wing post is vertical and the hackle wraps form a level, even disc below it — if the hackle tilts, add one extra figure-eight wrap at the post base.