Parachute (Klinkhammer) details

[Alain Barthelemy]

(continuation of the Amadou thread)

A couple more thoughts here, thanks for the feedback.  This is old news, but the Klinkhammer-style parachute was originally designed for grayling in fast or broken water.  The reason I call the fly in the top picture my "fast-water" parachute version is because of the extra hackle wraps around the post.  I basically use as many hackle wraps as I can get with a cape feather.  Saddles are longer (and maybe better), but I prefer tying with cape feathers.  A cape feather has a much stronger convex/concave profile and this is critically important when you wrap the hackle.  I see so many parachutes tied the wrong way or poorly, with the hackle points askew or pointed down.  I believe the flies perform better when the hackle points orient slightly upwards and the body/post sits flush in the water.  If your hackle fiber does not have a real curvature in the stem, it is impossible to set it right.  This is one of those small details that makes a huge difference.



When you post the hackle with the correct orientation, each successive wrap sits neatly below the previous one.  It is magic when it works and there is absolutely no need for any trimming of hackle.  This is one of those tasks where it pays to be mixed-handed, as clockwise or counterclockwise wrapping is key for right or left-handed tiers respectively.  I can tie these flies either way, but am much stronger leftie.

I have not seen a proper video on this specific technique, but Charlie Craven has it just about right.  There are a few other tricks I use, but I label those as proprietary, since I sell a few flies commercially.  What I know for sure is that my version floats better and longer for me when I fish.

My next comment regards hackle quality.  These flies take some time to make, so it is silly to use inferior hackle.  The Whiting bronze capes are just about perfect.  I have a couple gold capes also, and you can tell they are superior, but not 3-4 times the cost superior.  You can find 1/2 bronze capes now for about $35 and will enable you to make at least ten dozen size 12-14 parachutes or so.



Finally, I have tried many of the Klinkhammer hooks.  As I said before, you can definitely get away with using any light wire scud/grub hook, such as the Tiemco 2487BL.  The only difference with these hooks is they lack the flat spot for the post and the eye is slightly down.  The "real" Klinkhammer hooks like the one on the yellow post version (Daiichi 1160), have all the right characteristics, but they are extremely hard to find.  The Partridge versions of this hook are fair, but much larger and lacking the super sticky sharp point.  So, currently the 1160 is my favorite, but I hear that a new or modified Partridge hook (next version after the "Extreme") is coming out soon.

Hope this helps you tie better flies.  I think you will be surprised how well and long a well-tied Klinkhammer will float.

[Pascal Moreau]

How do you rig when you fish dry/ dropper with those parachute flies ?

[Alain Barthelemy]

It took some time and experimentation, but this is my final rigging right now.  I fished this yesterday all afternoon in a small stream for wild trout and it was flawless.  Since the sun angle is so low this time of year, the greatest challenge is keeping your shadow off the water; you have to keep crossing the stream.



Notes:
Rod - I use a 8' 9" Sage 389LL 3-weight.  I believe the base leader length (7.5ft) should always be shorter than the rod.  With this rod, I can easily overhead or roll cast just the leader if I need to.  There is rarely more than 6ft of fly line outside the rod tip.  Wade closer!
Reel - Lamson LP2.  I have some more modern reels (Litespeeds), but to be honest, sometimes they are too light to effectively balance the rod.  Ill-balanced rods make you tired.  This is a great reel with a little more mass and a disc drag.
Line - Cortland Peach DT3.  I like a DT line because I can flip it around.  A really good trick is to mount a leader to both ends of the fly line.  If the leader you are fishing breaks, you can easily flip the line around, even mid-stream.  Just let the current carry the line away from you.  Since I permanent mount my leaders to my fly line, this is my alternative to nail knots.  I also carry a Tie-Fast tool just in case.  I generally hike far from the car when I fish, so I have to be portable.
Indicator Dry - this time of year expectations for dry fly action are slim, there are few hatches, so I am using a sighter indicator, Klinkhammer style.  In the heat of the season I would replace this fly with a caddis, probably Swisher's Dancing caddis or plain Elk Hair.  When using more realistic flies, I might also downsize the tippet with a short piece of 4X, but this will tangle more.
Nymph - size 14 to 18 tungsten beaded, based on depth and current.  No secrets here, all the standards work, it is the presentation that matters.

Diagram Notes:
(A) Cognard-style nail knot I discussed here:
http://troutlegend.com/forum/gear-talk/no-knot-fly-line-to-leader-connection-(per-cognard)/
The leader butt section should be stout, here I use 0.61mm.  You can use pre-packaged tapered leaders or make your own.
(B) Barrel knot with one long tag.  This is simply the best dropper knot in terms of anti-fouling.  It is a pain to tie, but there is no denying it works.  Tie it up at home before you leave.  Onstream, if your hands are cold, tie a Triple Surgeon's with an "up-leg Snitch knot."  This is a half-hitch above the TS knot.  I talked about that here:
http://troutlegend.com/forum/general-fly-tying/fly-design-vs-hookup-ratio/msg19413/#msg19413
For clarity, you are knotting two sections of 2X together with a barrel knot.  The remaining down 6" section is there to prevent fouling.  The 4" perpendicular tag is for the dry.  If you don't use the 6" down section, the thin tippet will wrap around the dry right away; this occurs because you are letting the nymph hang downstream from you and the swirling currents twist the line.
(C) Tippet ring.  I like the Niche 3mm black nickel best.  They are expensive but top-quality.  If you are competing, replace this with a stop knot arrangement.
(D) Affix with a Davy knot, 2 or 3 turns.  You don't want to cut this tag unless absolutely necessary.  You shouldn't have to cut it, however, as a properly treated dry will fish for hours, as long as you high-stick the rig and prevent the fly line/leader from pulling it under.  You will need to dry/treat the dry every 15 minutes or so.  The best treatment system is paper towel/Amadou, Dilly wax for the post and Frog's Fanny for the hackle.
(E) Clinch knot.  If you are knotting fine tippet to a heavy wire hook, use more turns.

I hope this rigging gives you hours of fishing success and less frustration with tangled dry-droppers.

[Pascal Moreau]

Merci Alain !

 I was more exhaustive than I expected.

[Alain Barthelemy]

De rien!

It is always fun to post some pictures, so here are a few fish that succumbed to this rig the past week.  It is still in the low 40s in CT.  The brookies are really thin post spawn.  Near as I can tell, the rainbow swam upstream about 3 miles.  The brookies and browns are wild, nothing bigger than 12in.

[Alain Barthelemy]

One more thing.  You already know the key to floating a Klinkhammer is application of a thin paste/liquid floatant to the poly or Aero Wing post only.  The best floatant seems to be Dilly Wax, but that is hard to find.  Aquel seems to be just about as good.  Here's the secret, though...

apply the floatant on your tying bench with a little artist paintbrush!

Liquify the floatant on your fingertip, and dab it in to the poly.  This is the best way to do it and prevent the fibers from clumping up.  After treatment, let the fly dry for a while before fishing.  If you are careful with your casting and high stick the duo rig much of the time, your Klinkhammer will float for a L-O-N-G time, as much as a couple hours!

[Brett Silber]

How well does the klinkhammer work during the colder days of winter.  I have been fishing a small brookie stream for a couple months trying to figure it out.  I did well in the fall with a dry/dropper rig (dry is a cinnamon ant), however once December arrived the fish moved to the head of the pool (2-5 ft)and are hard to get down to.  I have used heavily weighted tungsten nymphs but they dont seem to be dropping in quick enough.  I know this was kind of off topic but the your klinkhammer got me thinking because the majority of the fish won't rise anymore with the colder temps.  Wet flys have been my go to in the shallower part of the stream but I am baffled by my inability to catch a brookie on nymphs in the head of a pool.  A friend of mine uses heavy split shot and pulls the flies against the current into the pocket from in front of the pool and does pretty well.  Any suggestions?

[Loren Williams]

Alain:  What net are you using?

Oh, BTW:  nice flies and great fish

[Alain Barthelemy]

Brett, you should probably change tactics. Try a deep slow nymph presentation on 7X. Czech Nymphing style, careful and slow under the rod tip.

Loren, thanks, I have a bunch of nets, but honestly that is my favorite one. Can't beat the price either, $9.99 from BPS!  Simple aluminum frame, plastic handle and fish-friendly mesh.

[Loren Williams]

I hear ya!  I just found one at Dicks in PA ($12) that I am really digging.  It's made by Ranger...perfect size, light and with a soft mesh bag....not the heavy rubber ones Frabil uses.  I'll keep my butterfly net for deep rivers where I am likely to get swept away with a fish.

[Dejon Hamann]

Come on, does that ever really happen?

net for deep rivers where I am likely to get swept away with a fish.

[Loren Williams]

Yep...just not on timid little "cricks" like Penns.

[Anita Coulton]

I recall watching someone being swept away a few times this weekend on Penns......

[Dejon Hamann]

I have no idea what you guys are talking about.

Alain, applying floatant at the desk is a great idea. I used to do that all the time to my dries before I entered the comp arena. Have you ever tried any of the liquid dip application varieties?

[Mark Hanes]

I still wish someone would have got pictures of D's swimming lessons.

[Anita Coulton]

Sorry Mark.  I would have proved useless with a camera, as I was laughing too hard.......

[Alain Barthelemy]

Dejon,
You should go back to applying the floatant when you tie, it is useful for competition too!  No, I have not tried Loon Hydrostop or the like, but some people advocate that method.

[Sean Crocker]

Alain, have you tried the muculin and lighter fluid combo for floatant ? I havent yet tried it but I know Andy Koons likes it.

[Alain Barthelemy]

Sean, have not tried that.  I prefer the Dilly Wax (applied at the bench) and Frog's Fanny onstream, after drying the fly with paper towel.  I only pre-treat the poly post flies, not the ones with the Elk wings.  Usually when I fish dry-dropper, I don't even change the dry fly the whole time I fish.

[Johnny Utah]

Nice ties, I love dilly wax, but all my dries get a soak in scotch guard after coming out of the vise.  However i wont do this with cdc, or floating nymphs. I like those to be down in the film.