PODCAST: Dry Fly Platforms – Parachutes – The Troutbitten Fly Box (S18, Ep2)

by | Feb 8, 2026 | 2 comments

 The Troutbitten Podcast is available everywhere that you listen to your podcasts.

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The parachute platform is our favorite style of dry fly and the favorite of many other anglers, because of its utility. Because it form is functional. Because it casts well, lands upright and keeps floating, even though heavy water. It fools picky trout and looks enough like an emerger and a spinner that you might get away with one fly, all the way through cycle. It’s a great dry-dropper fly, it’s easily adaptable. And perhaps its best quality . . . you can see the parachute post.

For all of those reasons, the Parachute dry fly platform is close to perfection.

My good friend, Austin Dando, joins me for a thorough look into the Parachute.

Resources

PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fly Tying – Essential Tools and More (S17 Ep9)
READ: Troutbitten | Pattern vs Presentation
PODCAST: Troutbitten | Fishing Dry Flies – Dry Fly Skills Series  (S12)

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Season Eighteen continues next week. So look for it in your Troutbitten podcast feed.

Fish hard, friends.

 

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Enjoy the day.
Domenick Swentosky
T R O U T B I T T E N
domenick@troutbitten.com

 

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Domenick Swentosky

Central Pennsylvania

Hi. I’m a father of two young boys, a husband, author, fly fishing guide and a musician. I fish for wild brown trout in the cool limestone waters of Central Pennsylvania year round. This is my home, and I love it. Friends. Family. And the river.

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What do you think?

Be part of the Troutbitten community of ideas.
Be helpful. And be nice.

2 Comments

  1. Gary Borger has stated (Fishing the Film) that all (3) parachute style patterns present as mayfly emergers because the abdomens are positioned below horizontal hackle wraps, placing them IN the film (Standard tie and floating nymph) or UNDER the film (Klinkhammer). Whereas subimago, adult mayflies have legs below an abdomen that sits partially ON the film with the rear half curving upward ABOVE the film. The only style of dry fly that imitates this posture accurately are those tied with curved, extended bodies/abdomens. Comparaduns, and especially the related Sparkle Duns, more closely imitate emergers as well, for the same reason (straight abdomens in the film, with and without trailing shucks). The fact that these two major dry fly styles (Parachutes and Comparaduns) are really emerger patterns is probably why they are so effective. The posture of upright (Catskill) style dry flies, bear little resemblance to adult duns floating on the surface, Instead, they probably work as attractors, although some traditional patterns do have a hint of imitation. I’m enjoying this series quite a bit; thanks for the focus on what some of us consider the ultimate form of fly fishing for wild trout in rivers and streams.

    Reply
    • Right on. I think all of us at Troutbitten love every form of fly fishing. And we all love the opportunity to fish dries.

      I think what you’re saying there aligns with what we’ve said in these first two podcasts. Although, I’ll add that the Parachute style and the Comparadun are also very good imitations of how an adult mayfly dun, after emergence, rides on the surface to dry its wings. I agree with Borger — both styles look a hell of a lot like an emerger. But they look like the adult, too. The trout told me so. 🙂

      Cheers.

      Reply

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Domenick Swentosky

Central Pennsylvania

Hi. I’m a father of two young boys, a husband, author, fly fishing guide and a musician. I fish for wild brown trout in the cool limestone waters of Central Pennsylvania year round. This is my home, and I love it. Friends. Family. And the river.

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