Fly of the Week: Parachute Ant

Parachute Ant
​I’m calling this a Parachute Ant, but really I use it for a lot of different presentations.  I might use it to imitate a black or brown caddis, but I also use it in smaller sizes to imitate midge dries as well.  This fly doesn’t sit on top of the water entirely, which I also like.  If you grease up the parachute with a gel floatant, this thing will ride just below the surface looking like a struggling bug… right in the trout’s strike zone.  The parachute post can be tied in white or orange.  I like the orange sometimes because a lot of rivers in Maine are tannic colored and hard to locate white because of all of the foam on the water.  

As far as tying, look up a klinkhamer video and basically copy it.  The only difference is that you’ll just use dubbing for the whole fly and can leave the peacock herl on the tying bench.  It’s a pretty easy tie, and once you get the hang of it you can whip up a couple dozen in 2 hours.

Materials
Hook: Emerger hook down eye size 16, 18 & 20
Thread: Black UTC 70
Hackle: Black or tan dry fly hackle
Post: Mcflylon in white or orange