Tying off Parachutes

[KHoss 0]

Do you tie off the hackle on the post?

what about for your whip fishing? on the post as well?

 

Here is a video a did on a parachute BWO

I tied the hackle off on the post, but whip finished at the hook eye

 

[TerryMH 0]

Good video and nice fly.

 

I prefer to tie off on the post. I use a full rotary vise and rotate the fly so that the post is pointing toward me. I guess it's a matter of what works best for one.

[SBPatt 0]

I finish parachutes with a double half-hitch of the hackle at the base of the post and then trim off the hackle tip.

 

Regards,

Scott

[spiralspey 0]

I wrap off the hackle on the post and whip finish on the hook eye. I've tried other ways, but that works best and is easiest for me.

[flyty1 0]

The easiest way to tie and finish a parachute is to do 2 simple things:

1) Always wind the hackle counterclockwise.

2) Tie off at the hook eye and finish with a couple of double half-hitches.

 

Winding the hackle counterclockwise allows you to tie off the feather without it coming unwound.

[KHoss 0]

Good video and nice fly.

 

I prefer to tie off on the post. I use a full rotary vise and rotate the fly so that the post is pointing toward me. I guess it's a matter of what works best for one.

good idea, i'm just used to tying in normal orientation, didn't think to rotate

Do you find that its easier to tie parachutes with the vise rotated?

[TerryMH 0]

I absolutely find it easier to tie off on the post. I've tried all the different options over many years, and "on the post" is by far the easiest and cleanest. Also, since my vise is on a metal base I can rotate it a bit too as well as rotating the post toward me, so the whip finish is being done on a horizontal axis oriented not very different from a normal whip finish at the eye. Doing it this way is also the easiest way to prevent capturing hackle fibres when finishing. But as I said, you have to do what ever you find most comfortable.

[Crackaig 0]

The one thing I have never liked about tying off at the eye, after tying the hackle to the post, is the security of the hackle is dependent on one open turn of thread taking the thread to the eye. It seems very exposed to me, laid over the thorax like that. That is why I prefer to whip finish around the wing post.

 

Cheers,

C.

[Jaydub 0]

The one thing I have never liked about tying off at the eye, after tying the hackle to the post, is the security of the hackle is dependent on one open turn of thread taking the thread to the eye. It seems very exposed to me, laid over the thorax like that. That is why I prefer to whip finish around the wing post.

 

Cheers,

C.

 

I used to share this concern, but I haven't found it to be a problem in the field. The wrap gets pretty well buried in the dubbing.

 

Here is something to think about if you are tying off at the head. If the hackle is wrapped counter-clockwise (looking down), the fibers angle away over the eye and are less likely to get trapped. I can usually manage to finish the head without having to pull the hackle back.

[Wetsock 0]

So I do things a little differently I finish at the head with a whip then go back to post and type in 14/0 and glue. Wrap hackle tye off with 2 wraps and 3 whips at post. I also color thread with marker before the whip to match body. Doing it this way I find I can hide tye off the best