Red Quill Parachute

Hook – 94840 #12 – 16
Thread – brown 8/0 or smaller
tail – brown hackle fibers
body – reddish brown stripped quill
thorax – rust rabbit dubbing
wing post – grey turkey flat feather
hackle – brown, parachute style

This pattern is from the John Gierach book Good Flies. I tried it for the first time last spring during a mayfly hatch on a local river. My first good cast landed a 16” brookie and I knew I had another good mayfly imitation. The stripped quill body gives a thin profile and the parachute a low riding “in the film” look. The pattern can be tied in any color or size to match the hatch. The two special features of this pattern are the slim profile of the body and the lower -in-the-water presentation that the parachute hackle provides.
The tying materials in this fly that might be new to you are stripped hackle quills and turkey flat feathers. The quills are regular hackle feathers that are stripped of their barbs and soaked in water before use to make them more pliable. The turkey flats are 2-3 inch feathers that come from the neck and breast of the bird and have even tips to make great wing posts. Tier A.K. Best is well known for tying this type of fly and has some good books out on it.