This fly imitates a mayfly, which has fallen on the water and is died or dying. Spent parachute is a variation of the theme Klinkhamer Special, the famous dryfly by Hans van Klinken. The idea of Klinkhamer is, that the body sinks under the surface film and only the polypropylen wing floats.

Spent Parachute’s idea is in totally floating fly, which drifts with the current just on the film. While fishing the whole fly must be greased otherwise as Klinkhamer, where only the wing is greased.

Every flyfisherman has seen, how dying mayflies drift with wings spent on the surface film. This situation can drive fishes crazy, they start their gorging orgias. At the end of summer the most hatching species of mayflies in Finland are from Baetis-family. This means, that the fly must be even so small as # 20.

Dressing:

Hook: 2x dry fly #10-20
Tag: Floss
Tail: Stiff cock herls
Abdomen: A hackle stem
Rib: Thin wire
Wing: Polypropylene
Hackle: Parachute hackle
Thorax: Dubbed CDC-herls

How to tie:

Base the hook alittle over the shank. Fasten the floss till the end of the base. Tie the tail with stiff cockhackle herls at the end of the shank. the lenght of the tail is 1-1,5 times the shank. Divide the tail in two with the silk.

Tie the abdomen with a stem of a hackle. You can make it stronger by ribbing it with a fine wire.

Fasten the polypropylene in the middle of the thorax area. Fasten the hackle at the foot of the wing.

Put some cdc-herls in a thread-loop and dub the thorax.

Tie the hackle. every new turn goes under the earlier (4-6 turns). Make the whip-finish on the foot of the wing.

Divide the wing in two. Spread them to the sides. Drop a tiny drop of super glue on the root and hold the wing  in the right position till the glue is dry.