Why the Parachute Adams Belongs in Every Fly Box
If you could only fish one dry fly for the rest of your life, a strong argument could be made for the Parachute Adams. This pattern imitates a broad range of adult mayflies and midges, sits low in the surface film the way a natural does, and — critically for the angler — the white or orange parachute post makes it visible on broken water where other dries disappear entirely.
It's also an excellent first "advanced" pattern for fly tiers because it introduces the parachute hackle technique, a skill that unlocks dozens of other patterns.
Materials List
- Hook: Dry fly hook, sizes 10–20 (size 14 or 16 is most versatile)
- Thread: 8/0 (70 denier) gray or black
- Tail: Mixed brown and grizzly hackle fibers, or moose body hair
- Body: 50/50 blend of muskrat dubbing and Adams gray superfine dubbing
- Wing post: White or orange poly yarn, or calf body hair
- Hackle: One brown and one grizzly dry fly hackle, sized to hook gap
Tools You'll Need
- Fly tying vise
- Bobbin
- Scissors (fine-tipped)
- Hackle pliers
- Whip finisher or half-hitch tool
- Head cement or UV resin
Step-by-Step Tying Instructions
Step 1: Start the Thread
Place the hook in the vise with the point down and the shank level. Start your thread about one-third of the way back from the hook eye, wrapping rearward with touching turns until you reach the bend. Your thread base prevents materials from spinning on the hook shank.
Step 2: Tie in the Tail
Select 8–12 hackle fibers from a brown hackle feather and a similar number from a grizzly feather. Stack them together and measure against the hook — tail length should equal the hook shank. Tie them in at the bend with 3–4 tight thread wraps, then trim the butt ends at a taper.
Step 3: Create the Wing Post
Cut a small clump of poly yarn or calf body hair. Tie it in upright at roughly the two-thirds point of the shank (measured from the bend). Build a solid thread base around the base of the post to lock it vertical. This post is where you'll wind your hackle — getting it truly upright is critical.
Step 4: Dub the Body
Apply a thin amount of dubbing to your thread using a clockwise twist. Build a tapered body from the bend to just behind the wing post, keeping it slim and slightly tapered toward the eye. Less dubbing is almost always better — a slim body looks more natural and floats better.
Step 5: Tie in the Hackles
Strip the fibers from the base of both hackle feathers. Tie one brown and one grizzly feather in by their bare stems at the base of the wing post, dull side facing up. The feathers should be sized so the hackle fibers are roughly one and a half times the hook gap in length.
Step 6: Wind the Parachute Hackle
Attach your hackle pliers to both feathers together and wind them in touching turns around the base of the wing post, working from top to bottom (downward toward the hook shank). Make 4–6 wraps. Tie off both hackles on the shank just in front of the post. Trim the excess. This horizontal hackle plane is what makes the fly sit flush in the surface film.
Step 7: Build the Head and Finish
Move your thread to just behind the eye. Build a small, neat thread head, whip finish three to five times, and cut the thread. Apply a small drop of head cement to the thread head. Trim the wing post to your preferred height — typically equal to or slightly taller than the hook gap.
Tips for a Better Parachute Adams
- Don't overhackle. Too many wraps creates a bushy, unnatural fly that sits too high.
- Use quality dry fly hackle. Stiff, dense fibers are essential for flotation. Genetic hackle is worth the investment.
- Keep the body slim. Trout are looking up at the silhouette — a thin body reads more naturally.
- Apply floatant before the first cast, not after the fly gets wet. CDC Dry Shake or a gel floatant both work well.
Once you've tied a dozen Parachute Adams in size 14, try scaling down to a size 18 for spring creek fishing. The smaller version on a long, fine tippet is deadly on selective fish in clear water.