Gulper Special HOOK: #14-22 standard dry fly (Mustad R30 shown). THREAD: Olive 70-denier Ultra Thread. TAIL: Coq de Leon hackle fibers (light Pardo). PARACHUTE POST: Gray poly yarn. HACKLE: Grizzly. BODY: Olive Superfine dubbing. GULPER SPECIAL 8 MB WMV

A parachute-style dry fly has several advantages over a standard hackled dry fly. The parachute name comes from the fly's propensity for soft, upright landings that don't spook trout. The body of the fly rides lower the surface film like a real mayfly and some people find the parachute wing is easier to see. Another important quality is that because the hackle rests horizontally on the water, parachute flies float well and also imitate mayfly spinners laying flush in the water, as well as duns, which have upright wings.

You can imitate any mayfly species with the parachute design--again, by varying the colors of the ingredients and the size of the fly. Parachute wings are often made of white calf tail such as in the Parachute Adams, but elk hair, Krystal Flash, CDC, and other materials can also be used for the wingpost of a parachute dry fly. Poly yarn is inexpensive, durable, comes in a variety of colors, attaches to the hook with very little bulk, and can be used for the wing post on flies large enough to imitate #12 Green Drakes or small enough to imitate #24 Tricos.

The Gulper Special, designed by Al Troth of Dillon, Montana, in sizes 14 through 18, is the favored fly on Montana's Hebgen Lake during its famous Callibaetis hatches. In smaller sizes it is a good Baetis and Trico imitation.

CLICK HERE for a detailed video on how to tie a Gulper Special.

Tying Steps

Step 1. Attach the thread and position it at the 2/3 mark. Spread the tail fibers like a fan by tying the tail as you did with the Adams, then hook the thread into the butt of the tail fibers and then run it back--parallel to the hook shank--under the tail and forward again. When you pull the thread tightly under the tail, the pressure from the opposing thread wraps spreads the hackle fibers. Hook the thread back through the hackle butts on the opposite side and then make circular wraps to secure it. Bring the thread back to the mid-point of the hook shank.

Step 2. Lay a 2-inch length of poly yarn on top and perpendicular to the hook shank. Make three wraps around the hook shank crossing the poly yarn diagonally, and then make three diagonal wraps in the other direction.

Step 3. Reach under the hook shank and grasp the tip of the yarn on the far side of the hook. Pull the yarn toward you so the wing spins to the underside of the hook shank.

Step 4. Lift both sides of the wing to form a vertical post. Make several close wraps of thread around the base of the wing to make a smooth, stiff base to wrap the hackle.

Step. 5 Select and prepare a dry-fly hackle as for the Adams (page 22) but make it one size larger for a parachute dry fly. Tie the bare stem of the hackle at the base of the parachute post with the shiny side facing you.

Step 6. Use thread to create a smooth underbody and then dub the entire body and finish with the thread hanging at the base of the parachute post.

Step 7. Wrap the hackle around the base of the parachute post. Each successive wrap of hackle should go under the previous wrap. Tie the hackle off at the base of the post by holding the hackle feather toward you and wrapping once over the stem, and then once underneath the stem. Clip the hackle stem and make a three- or four-turn whip-finish at the base of the parachute post.

Step 8. Slide the hackle down over the whip-finish wraps. Trim the parachute post to the same length as the hook shank and spread the wing fibers so the hackle will not slide up.

 

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