The Woolly Gentleman

Regional shopStrong match

Murray's Fly Shop

Matched on Southeast & Carolinas, dry flies, trout. Appalachian trout and smallmouth source with long-running regional fly catalog depth.

Southeast & Carolinasdry fliestrout

Broad sourceStrong match

Fly Fish Food

Matched on dry flies, trout, mayfly. Strong technical tying and trout catalog coverage, especially nymphs, dries, and stillwater flies.

dry fliestroutmayfly

Broad sourceStrong match

Fulling Mill Flies

Matched on dry flies, trout, dry. Large pattern house with broad freshwater and saltwater fly categories.

dry fliestroutdry

Broad sourceStrong match

Orvis Fly Catalog

Matched on dry flies, trout, parachute. Broad retail catalog for standard trout, warmwater, salmon/steelhead, and saltwater patterns.

dry fliestroutparachute

The Parachute Adams is the diplomatic solution to the question of what is hatching. It imitates every mayfly vaguely enough that trout cannot quite find a reason to refuse it, which is the highest form of deception. The white post sits above the grizzly hackle like a beacon of common sense in a world of over-specific match-the-hatch obsession. On Southern Appalachian streams where a dozen species may hatch simultaneously, this pattern says 'I am food' in a universal dialect. Tie it on when you do not know. Fish it when you do.

Quick Facts

TypeDry Fly

Difficultybeginner

SeasonsSpring, Summer, Fall

Target SpeciesRainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout

Sizes#12 - #20

Best LocationsDavidson River, NC; South Holston River, TN; Rapidan River, VA

Where to Fish It

Davidson River

NC · Mountain Freestone

South Holston River

TN · Tailwater

Rapidan River

VA · Mountain Freestone

Map unavailable. Locations for Parachute Adams: Davidson River, NC; South Holston River, TN; Rapidan River, VA

Related Reading

region guide

Southeast: From Smokies Brookies to Lowcountry Reds

The American Southeast spans an extraordinary gradient — from native brook trout in the cold headwaters of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to sight-casting for tailing redfish in the spartina grass of the Lowcountry. This is the guide to fishing both ends of that spectrum and everything in between.

Elk Hair Caddis

Find a tier or trusted source

Southeast & Carolinas

#12 - #18

Al Troth's iconic caddis pattern with buoyant elk hair wing. Floats high through Appalachian pocket water and riffles.

TanOliveBlack

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Brook Trout

SprSumFallWin

Stimulator

Find a tier or trusted source

Southeast & Carolinas

#8 - #14

Buoyant attractor dry fly imitating stoneflies and large caddis. Orange or yellow body with elk hair wing and palmered hackle.

OrangeYellowRoyal

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Brook Trout

SprSumFallWin

Dry Flyintermediate

Yellow Sally

Find a tier or trusted source

Southeast & Carolinas

#14 - #16

Small yellow stonefly imitation matching Isoperla hatches. A summer staple on Appalachian freestone streams.

Pale YellowChartreuse Yellow

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Brook Trout

SprSumFallWin

Mr. Rapidan

Find a tier or trusted source

Southeast & Carolinas

#12 - #16

Harry Murray's classic Virginia attractor dry. Yellow body, grizzly hackle, white calf tail wing. Designed for Shenandoah National Park brook trout.

Yellow/GrizzlyOlive/Grizzly

Brook Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Parachute Adams

Find a tier or trusted source

Rocky Mountain West

#12 - #22

The universal dry fly. Grizzly hackle, white post, dubbed body. If you cannot identify the hatch, tie on an Adams.

Standard GrayFemale (yellow egg sac)

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout · Brook Trout · Mountain Whitefish

SprSumFallWin

Elk Hair Caddis

Find a tier or trusted source

Rocky Mountain West

#12 - #18

Al Troth's iconic caddis imitation. Elk hair wing, palmered hackle. Floats like a cork in fast water.

TanOliveBlack

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout · Brook Trout

SprSumFallWin