High Visibility Or Classic Parachute Post?

[The Fisher King]

Which do you prefer and why?

 

[jayr]

Which do you prefer and why?

Kind of depends for me at least.

What pattern and what size?

 

[The Fisher King]

Kind of depends for me at least.

What pattern and what size?

Nothing specific in mind, mostly adams, BWO, PMD, maybe a midge; but I don't want to limit myself. I assume Hi Vis is more beneficial the smaller you go, so like #20-22 but again I didn't have any 1 specific pattern in mind. I am more just trying to get a rough idea of what's what and that the general consensus is and if there's any good reason not to use them is all.

 

[jayr]

You have hit upon what I like, the smaller flies like 18’s I like the hi-vis.

It also has to do with availability. Sometimes I cannot get the hi-vis so I just go with regular parachute.

 

[silver creek]

I use the same white Maxi-cord Herculon polypropylene macrame post material regardless of fly size.

Maxi-Cord Braided Macrame Craft Cord 6mm 100 Yds White New Old Stock | eBay

 

[spm]

I use white for Adams and yellow for BWO, for no other reason than it's easier for me to differentiate between them in the fly box. I have some hi-vis yarn, but haven't tried it, yet.

steve

 

[tcorfey]

I have had more success with a classic white post than I have had with any hi-viz post. Your milage may vary.

Regards,

Tim C.

 

[goshockey]

I had one day of fishing when white posts seemed to do significantly better than orange posts (using small ant imitations for big cutthroats in slow, clear water), and after that I've mostly tied with white posts. But, I know plenty of people who catch plenty of fish with the hi-viz, and my experience is far from a representative and controlled study...

 

[randyflycaster]

I am wondering: can fish really see the post?

I prefer hi-vis. I just can't see white parachute posts.

Randy

 

[mtboiler]

Most of my parachute posts are with Pink Widow's web. Matter of fact, when I tie a hopper or stimi, I put a pink over wing on top of the elk hair/foam/deer hair whatever it is I am using. I can see that just fine in the water.

 

[goshockey]

I had always assumed that the post color did not really matter to the fish, until the day I mentioned above, where I was catching a bunch of fish on an ant with a white post, lost the fly, switched to one with an orange post, caught nothing, switched back to a white post and started catching fish again. Like I said, it was definitely not a controlled study, so other factors could have been at play, and I'm guessing much (most?) of the time it doesn't matter. It's probably more important for you to be able to see your fly. But, I usually can see the white, so I use those when I can, but I do keep a few high-viz versions around just in case.

 

[silver creek]

I am wondering: can fish really see the post?

I prefer hi-vis. I just can't see white parachute posts.

Randy

Yes, fish see the post. Infact, the post is the first thing they see as the fly approaches the window.

Remember we stay low to keep out of the trout window. We try to stay under the 10 degree line. Therefore, the tallest item of a mayfly (the wing) and the tallest item in a parachute fly (the post) come into view first.

Note the 1 -2 - 3 below

 

[The Fisher King]

Yes, fish see the post. Infact, the post is the first thing they see as the fly approaches the window.

Remember we stay low to keep out of the trout window. We try to stay under the 10 degree line. Therefore, the tallest item of a mayfly (the wing) and the tallest item in a parachute fly (the post) come into view first.

Note the 1 -2 - 3 below

I was wondering about this and it was my main reason for asking, I think I'll stick with white just to be on the safe side, most of my fishing will be done fairly close anyway.

 

[sparsegraystubble]

I was wondering about this and it was my main reason for asking, I think I'll stick with white just to be on the safe side, most of my fishing will be done fairly close anyway.

Except for the Adams, I err the other direction by using either light dun or medium dun for the post/wing. Can’t cite any specific instances where it demonstrably made a difference, but it gives me more confidence in the fly.

For the same reason, I tend to use darker and more muted colors for the wings on Sparkle Duns, X Caddis and thorax hackled duns as well.

Don