Parachute Ant Color

[Tiogadog]

Parachute ants are my favorite summer fly for trout. Typically, I tie the bodies in black, cinnamon, brown, or a mixture of black and mahogany. Hackle colors range from black, grizzly or brown. Hook sizes range from 14 to 22.

So my question is: what is your favorite body and hackle color for parachute ants?

Just looking to see what has worked for everyone else.

 

[Fishidiot]

In the smaller sizes, under #20, I like black and orange with the same color hackle.

For larger ants I'll use a combination of black head/thorax and brown abdomen as is a common trait in the larger carpenter ants.

 

[BREECHESANGLER]

My ants are normally no bigger than a size 18 and I like the all black approach. In fact, most of the time my ants are in sizes like 20 or 22. I never use a parachute on my ants. I fish them like a trico. Most of the time I can't see them but the trout take them much more compared to a size 16 or 18. Good luck.

 

[LeTortAngler2]

As long as I get the fly presented to a rising trout without spooking it (usually 1st cast), any ant pattern will usually work for me in appropriate sizes. Cinnamon, Black, Brown, even small Whites are colors that I carry parachute style. This past year I had my most success on a 14-16 cinnamon ant with a brown colored grizzly hackle for the parachute.

 

[CLSports]

Size 18 ant; all black with a bright orange post so I can see it. That is usually all I need. During tricos it makes a great point fly for the vision impaired.

 

[MKern]

I usually tie an all foam ant with black foam, but if it use a parachute and I all most always use a white post. The reason is I have seen many fish swim up to the ant and refuse it if it has a orange, yellow, or chartreuse post. I think white at least represents a wing on a flying ant. Those couple days every summer where new queen ants are flying out to start their own colonies is a magically time for winged ant patterns.