Parachute Vs Standard Hackling

[GaryF]

So my question as a newbie is between the 2 types of hackling methods, is there a difference on the way they catch fish? From and underwater viewpoint the fish can't see the wings so I am curious if one fishes differently than the other or if all the complexities of tying in wings is more for the angler vs the fish. Awsome forum btw!

 

G

[SilverDoctor]

Hard to answer that one as it will vary from fly to fly depending on silhouette and what you are trying to imitate. They are both valid methods and I carry both styles, whereas one will work in certain situations and the other will not. A good way to see it for yourself is put them both in a clear glass of water and look at them from a trout perspective. you will notice that the standard hackle pushes more of the fly onto to the surface film and the parachute lets the body sit deeper and flatter on the water or sometimes under the film. The Klinkhammer style pushes the entire body of the fly under the film (thus tied with no tail). If you study at what your flies on the film of water at home it can be easier to "match the hatch" when you see an insect profile on the water.

 

hope this helps...

[DonAndersen]

GaryF,

 

Both standard and parachute hackling work sometimes. But if you want a hackling method that works all the time, Vincent Marinaro method is head and shoulders above the other methods.

Marinaro, for those that don't know, is generally considered the father of use of "minute" in FF. He, along with a gentile group of FF types fished the spring creeks in Pennsylvania where you got better or you went home.

See: http://flyanglersonline.com/features/journal/part68.php for a distilled summary of his life.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[proflytyer]

Gary F,

the way i see it is that larger dries with the catskill method may have more of a chance of rolling over into its side. as well the parachute style probs has more of a chance of it sitting properly in the water, as well it would sit lower in the water. Hope this helps...

 

Kyle

[Gil]

Hard to answer that one as it will vary from fly to fly depending on silhouette and what you are trying to imitate. They are both valid methods and I carry both styles, whereas one will work in certain situations and the other will not. A good way to see it for yourself is put them both in a clear glass of water and look at them from a trout perspective. you will notice that the standard hackle pushes more of the fly onto to the surface film and the parachute lets the body sit deeper and flatter on the water or sometimes under the film. The Klinkhammer style pushes the entire body of the fly under the film (thus tied with no tail). If you study at what your flies on the film of water at home it can be easier to "match the hatch" when you see an insect profile on the water.

 

hope this helps...

I agree. On the other hand I seem to use & tie alot more parachute patterns because they are so effective....Note: I've always considered Klinkhammer a parachute

[Gil]

- cancelled post

[Leroy]

For the last several years I have been using more parachuts than traditional. I feel they catch more fish, for me at least, and I tie the bodies in many colors. Gray for adams, yellow for yellow sallys, tan / brown / olive for caddis. By doing that combiniation I find I do not have to carry so many fly boxs or flies. No matter what is hatching I will have a color in the parachute style. The way the fly floats can also be adjusted by the way the hackle is tied on. Concave side (dull side) down the fly will float much higher. Convex side (shiney side) down the fly will float much lower in the film.

This is from my experience only. Nothing scientific at all, just watching what happens and what the fish are taking.

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

catskill types skate across the water higher and i find they make a great wake.

[Guest Dennis59]

I haven't tied a standard dry in so long I'm not sure I can tie one. I love the parchute. I think this fly gives you the best of both worlds. It works as the standard dry and then because of the way it rides in the surface film it gives you the emerger aspect also. To my thinking and only mine is there are a whole bunch more emergers or gripples taken then the dry.

 

Tight Lines Always

Dennis S

 

[CTownTBoyz]

The Parachute style of hackle was initially designed as a Mayfly pattern for use on rainy days. The idea is that the Mayfly, as it emerges, takes longer to dry its wings when its raining rather than on a dry day; the pattern thus rides lower water achieving said result. If I am not mistaken, I believe Lafontaine explained the patterns construction and origin in one of his books (can't remember which one).

 

When I fish Mayflies, I use parachutes, klinks, no hackles, spinners (when necessary) or comparaduns (my fave for picky fish). Catskill style ties are ok, but the aforementioned patterns are far better IMO. The exception would be to fishing Wulff style flies (Catskill style tie) for fast water situations, however, Wulff patterns are more of attractors and don't really qualify.

 

 

[TerryH]

I too prefer parachutes over the traditional style. However, add my vote in favour of comparaduns and sparkle duns. They're the easiest of all to tie, don't require expensive dry fly hackle -- just get some good coastal deer hair -- and best of all they work exceptionally well. Terry

[ironfly]

GaryF,

 

Both standard and parachute hackling work sometimes. But if you want a hackling method that works all the time, Vincent Marinaro method is head and shoulders above the other methods.

Marinaro, for those that don't know, is generally considered the father of use of "minute" in FF. He, along with a gentile group of FF types fished the spring creeks in Pennsylvania where you got better or you went home.

See: http://flyanglersonline.com/features/journal/part68.php for a distilled summary of his life.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

X2

[Conor]

Don- What is Marinaro's hackle style?

 

Footprint?:

http://www.beaucatcher.com/Foot_Print_Mayfly.html

 

Thorax?:

http://www.flyfishersrepublic.com/patterns/thorax-dun/

 

Both?

 

 

 

Gary F- I think people forgot to mention that a standard hackle when tied with a bunch of wraps, floats like a cork. A para will get drowned pretty easily in faster water. Also, you asked about 'wings.' Are you talking about split wings/posts, or hackle? I'd say that para patterns the hackle is pretty well what the fish sees as a wing (ie cripple, spinner). Standard hackle really just looks like legs in the surface film.

[DonAndersen]

Conor,

 

It's similar to the Thorax tie except the hackle is leaned @ 45 degrees off vertical. That way the hackle gives a larger footprint and the fly lands hook side down unlike both parachutes and Catskill ties which occasionally land on their sides. The bottom trimming is important. The body then stays awash in the film unlike parachutes where the body is submerged. Curiously, mayfly bodies are rarely submerged except for emergence and for some species - egg laying.

 

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[Swede]

Heres a nice link to Vincents modified thorax hackle. Thorax hackle

One thing I noticed missing from this description. Its important to have a small dubbing ball around the base of your wings to create shoulders to keep the hackle from abutting the wing base.