Monday, November 10, 2014

A Fran Betters Inspiration

Ausable Wulff, Parachute
Fran Betters of Wilmington, New York was a fly designer to the highest degree. His patterns are for fly anglers to do one thing, "catch fish". This is a variation of one of Frans best creations the "Ausable Wulff"

The pattern incorporates all of the materials used to tie the Ausable Wulff, only in a parachute version. I can tie pretty much all patterns, maybe not perfect but good enough. The parachute style fly has always been a problem for me and I never tie them. After getting some encouragement as well as a few good pointers I attempted to tie a few. Perhaps I should have tied the Adams in a parachute seeing how it's probably the number one fish taker, but instead I chose one of Frans patterns.

While not perfect, and if it were in the fly bins of a fly shop would most likely be passed over, I believe it will catch it share of fish.

Hook, Mustad 9671....Tail, woodchuck guard hairs....Body, rust orange Australian opossum....Wing post, yellow calf tail....Hackle, Grizzly and brown.


Thanks Fran.



18 comments:

  1. You bet it will catch fish! The parachute style is an oft overlooked style probably because of the challenges it presents to most tiers but they are a very effective, low riding pattern.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark,
      Thanks.
      Its construction is indeed challenging, but with practice I hope they will get easier.

      Delete
  2. What Mark said. That will work, no doubt. I'll be at the sea run brown trout presentation on Weds. Hope to see you if you're free. John

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Apache Trout,
      Thanks.
      I'll try to make that presentation John.

      Delete
  3. Nice tie Alan. Love the high vis yellow wing post. Is there an advantage to tying a parachute version over the normal ausable wulff other than greater visibility?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RI brook trout,
      Thanks.
      The main advantage of the parachute is its ability to lie low in the surface film giving the trout a far superior profile of the fly.

      Delete
  4. Looks kinda like a Mr. Rapidan Parachute, another wonderful small stream fly!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill Thomas,
      Thanks.
      There are many similarities. Harry Murrys use of the yellow wing post makes this fly great for us guys who need all the help we can get in seeing it on the water.

      Delete
  5. It'll do just fine. Still better then half of my parachutes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RM Lytle,
      Thanks.
      They are tricky flies to master.

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. Jim Yaussy Albright,
      Thanks.
      Your welcome Jim.

      Delete
    2. Looks like a winner to me Alan

      Delete
    3. penbayman,
      Thanks.
      Mike it has all the right ingredients to be.

      Delete
  7. I think that's a great looking fly , I like the idea of a yellow parachute as sometimes those white ones get hard to see in whitewater situations. The parachute is one pattern that I will still buy due to the fact that I havn't mastered the technique yet myself , always seems difficult.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HighPlainsFlyFisher,
      Thanks.
      The yellow post is a Harry Murry idea, it does surely aid in picking the fly up on the water.
      I've far from mastered the technique of tying these flies, but I'm trying.

      Delete
  8. A really buggy looking pattern! Thanks for posting. Lots of comments on the difficulty of tying in the parachute hackles: While I don't claim to have mastered it myself, here are some useful resources to those trying to get it right: http://truttablog.com/topical-subjects-ideas-and-links/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. truttablog.com
      Thanks.
      Thanks for the link. The hardest part is wrapping and then tying off the hackle. Time will help I'm sure.

      Delete