Catskill vs Parachute

[PAgeologist]

I tried to tie up some parachute style dry flies. Once I got the hang of getting the post set, I found them to be quite easy to tie and nicer looking than my Catskill ties.

Is there any advantage to fishing parachute style flies versus the traditional Catskill style? It seems that the parachute style will ride lower in the water and also be better balanced because of the hackle being horizontal.

Is there another style that is better than those?

 

[bigjohn58]

I personally like the parachutes myself. I seem to have the best luck with them and just like how mine turn out. I still tie several of the traditional catskill. A lot will say a comparadun is the only way to go. Its just not my style though.

 

[duckfoot]

From what I've learned on this site, parachutes are like comparaduns and can sometimes also mimic emergers.

Personally, I can't tie either with consistency, so I just stick to Wulffs.

 

[Jsnyder7]

To me, Catskill flies are more about tradition. Parachutes and comparaduns are much more effective.

 

[NewSal]

bigjohn58 wrote:
I personally like the parachutes myself. I seem to have the best luck with them and just like how mine turn out. I still tie several of the traditional catskill. A lot will say a comparadun is the only way to go. Its just not my style though.

I have more comparaduns than anything else, mainly because they are easy to tie, and effective, however.. they are boring. Sitting down to tie some catskill - parachutes and getting a dozen cranked out just feels better than tying comparaduns lol.

 

[allan_s]

For me I use Catskill for heavy, riffled water. Parachutes, comparaduns and cdc patterns for slower water where the trout get a better view.

A time and place for everything. Just so happens most of my dry fly fishing occurs in places such as pool tailouts, slower seams, eddies, etc. so I lean towards tying more low floating flies than the heavily hackled ones.

 

[fritz]

Don't know when the last time I tied a catskill dry fly. Parachutes seem to have an advantage because they ride low like others mentioned. They might be looked at as an emerger. Check out the Flagler video on tying parachutes. Some really neat tips for me there.
It seems though that comparaduns have been taking over as my favorite dry fly in not so choppy water. I do not have a problem with parachutes riding thru bumpy water. They seem to float surprisingly well in the bumpy water that I fish.

 

[DGC]

Parachutes are far easier fo me to tie. I find winging catskills difficult in the smaller sizes and to match most bugs i need smaller patterns.

I would add that if you go to museums or find photographs of T. Gordon flies as an example the flies are much more sparse and delicate looking. Modern catskills have lost something in translation, or gained (density) as it were.

 

[McSneek]

I enjoy tying catskills but rarely use them. Usually if I do I end up cutting the bottom hackle off so it rides flush. Sort of defeats the whole purpose of a catskill style fly but they work better IMO.

I use parachutes much more or also something that more resembles a sparsely tied thorax style fly with not too much hackle and a cdc wing. Comparaduns too.

 

[PAgeologist]

One of my biggest problems with the Catskill ties is balance. Mine always seemed to tip over frequently. Looks like parachutes and comparaduns solve that.

I watched a video by Charlie Craven. I will have to check out the flager video as well.

Thank you all for the insight. I'll have to look into comparaduns as well.

 

[redietz]

PAgeologist wrote:

Is there any advantage to fishing parachute style flies versus the traditional Catskill style?

I believe there is an advantage in carrying both. Others have said that they find parachutes more effective, and on some occasions, I've found that to be true. On other (possibly more frequent) occasions I've found the opposite to be true -- when fish have been refusing parachute flies, changing to a Catskill style will change my luck for the better. I can think of several explanations for this, but can't prove any of them.

It's always worth switching from one to the other if you're getting refusals.

 

[JeffK]

I like both, mostly for the standard answer of parachutes for slow/Catskill for fast water. Sometimes it is just what I feel like. I generally fish a Catskill tie for Hendricksons and a parachute tie for light Cahills just because I like it that way.

However, lately I have used more simple hackle flies (tail, thread body, hackle) for size 18 and smaller flies. These have worked great for me up on the East Branch Delaware for BWO duns and spinners. An 18 rusty red thread/grizzly hackle spinner has been a default fly for me lately when nothing clear is going on. On 22 and smaller (some days even 20) I omit the tail. My 22 trico spinners have no tails. Keep it simple.

Some days I like Catskill ties just because.

 

[JohnPowers]

This bears out what I'm thinking. I fish the WB with the same guy for 25 years. He is a great fisherman. He recently told me he hasn't fished a Catskills fly in years. If the levels cooperate the first week in may he'll kill them on compara/sparkle duns and CDC emerger of some sort. I still like the Catskills when members of the sulfer and Cahill family are around.