Itty Bitty Parachute Emerger
(The materials are listed in the order they are tied in)
Like most of my patterns, the Itty Bitty Parachute Emerger is a generic imitation. Adjust color scheme to reflect the naturals in your area.
Tying instructions:
- Attach thread immediately behind the eye and run it well into the bend. Optionally tie in the wire rib. Make a thin dubbing rope or touch dub to form a slender, slightly tapered abdomen. Rib with wire, if applicable.
- Make a tiny 'V' in the tip of a small partridge back feather by snipping the stem. You do not want any stem for the length of the downwing. Pull the feather through thumb/finger to somewhat bunch it up, then tie it in on top of the hook in front/partly on top of the dubbed abdomen. Pull gently on the butt to slide/coax the downwing to the desired length, and hugging the top half of the hook shank. Secure with a couple of tight wraps. Cover the thread wraps with a _small_ amount of dubbing. Now fold the feather back over the abdomen.
- Tie in the hackle.
- Make a thin dubbing rope to form the thorax. Do not make the thorax too bulky and make sure you leave sufficient space near the eye for the head.
- Wrap the hackle parachute style around the post. Tie down and snip excess.
- Pull the partridge featherbutt post down to form a wingcase, tie down and trim. Complete the fly with a whip finish a drop of varnish.