Friday, May 20, 2011

Reversed Parachute Deer Hair Olive -- Step by Step

Sorry I did not come out with this sooner. My camera got lost and now it has been found again.  Since the low supply of hackle lately I started making some parachute flies with deer or elk hair.  They have been fun to tie but can be a little tricky to get used to.  So here is a simple reverse parachute pattern that can be tied quickly and has a great buggy look.  Also sorry for the shadows in the pics. My main light decided to go out so I had to use a behind light and the sun which drew this great shadow.


Reversed Parachute Deer Hair Olive

Hook:  Daiichi 1250 Size 12-16
Thread:  Uni 8/0 Black or Olive
Rib: Small Copper Wire
Body: Any olive buggy dubbing material
Post: Small Copper Wire
Parachute: Olive compara-dun Deer hair


These are really the only 3 main materials other than thread you will need to make this simple fly. I use a synthetic dubbing I made myself which is a mix between light olive, dark olive, and a light brown.

First off put the hook in the vise pointing slightly down. I do this so when I dub it is easier for me. Tie in your copper wire which will be used as your ribbing and take it to a little above halfway down the bend of the hook.  You can use a dry fly hook but I use the Dennin Brown glass bead hook cause it has a great bend and allows the eye of the hook to go below the surface of the water. Plus I like that it is offset.

You can start dubbing before you put the post in but I always do the post first. Make a loop with the copper wire and tie it in until it is just below where the hook starts to straiten. Look at the finished product above and you can gauge where to put it.


Now you can dub the body. You can put a taper in it but on this pattern to me it didn't matter much. After you dub I always put a whip finish in to hold the thread in place so you can rib next.


With the copper wire you tied in first make sure to do nice and evenly spaced ribs. I do 7 or 8 ribs and always do at least 2 before the post. That is my way of gauging that I went down enough on the bend of the hook. Now you can whip finish and cut thread.


I always do 5 or 6 at a time and set aside so I can spin the deer hair all at once.


With the hook in the vise cut a clump of deer hair. Make sure to clean out all the fuzz and stack it.  Run your fingers down the post from the middle to the fly itself so the wire is really close together. The hair should be  trimmed to about 3/4s of the bodies length. With the open hole on the top of the post run the deer hair down till it touches the fly. Since the wire is really close together it should hold the deer hair in place.


Any type of dubbing twister or even a opened paperclip would work.  While pinching the deer hair start twisting the wire. You pinch it at first cause the hair will try and crawl up the wire. Give it about 5-8 twists and then let go of the hair.  I twist about 25-30 times. Once you start getting used to it you will know what works for you.  DO NOT over twist or you will break the wire at the bottom.  Snip right at the twister so you can look it all over.


This is what it looks like from below. As you can see I still have the wire twist long.


Now snip the wire right at the top of the hair. Sometimes the hair goes too far up. You can snip into the hair. This one I tied I did have to snip a little into the twisted hair. You can tell from 2 pictures above how high the hair went versus how far I clipped down.


This is what the fly after it has been cut looks from above.  Thanks everyone for reading this and let me know what you think. I will be making hoppers, adult stones, spinners, and blue damsels using the hair parachute in the future.  Have fun tying!!!!!





15 comments:

  1. I can't wait to give this pattern a try. Nicely tied and great tips. Thanks again man.

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  2. No prob buddy, it is a real fun concept and has a ton of different possibilities for other patterns. Once you get the hang of it they go pretty quick

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  3. Those are great flies.
    I tie them, using calftail posts.
    Your step by step, tells it all.

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  4. Hi, that looks really good! I'll give that a go.
    Just to clarify - the ribbing section confused me on first read - are you ribbing with the tying thread? Think I might be tempted to try one with a long tag of copper wire and rib with that. It is a neat variation though - I bet that floats well.

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  5. Great idea. I'm going to try my hand at tying some.

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  6. Andrew, The ribbing is copper wire. On the first picture is the ribbing that you use. The wire that is sticking out the back of the fly

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  7. I'm with you - sorry, proof-reading is a force of habit. ;-) Nicely done - really makes me want to have a go, and that's what it's about!

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  8. my problem is I am more visual than reading. When I see a step by step I only look at the pics. Since I am that way I assume everyone else is so I tend to miss steps.

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  9. Nice one Dustin, looks similar to Roy Christie's reversed parachute but the deer hair is a nice twist. DO you secure the wire with varnish or super glue after snipping it off? If not do it really stay twisted after having fished with it for a while?

    Cheers
    Ulf

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  10. Roy's creations were the inspiration for the fly. It pretty much is his reverse olive but with the deer hair. I have been putting a drop of super glue on the top and with a very thin applicator some on the bottom to where it is not noticeable. The original problem was it not untwisting but after a fish or two the wire could snap. I upgraded to a bigger wire which is what I tied with in the step by step. I have a buddy in Oregon that fishes these and are holding up quite well

    ReplyDelete
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