Parachute Ant

The Parachute Ant is a high-visibility terrestrial pattern that combines a realistic segmented ant profile with the easy-to-see parachute post of a traditional dry fly. Its low-riding body and splayed hackle create a natural footprint on the water, while the slim silhouette imitates ants that fall or get blown into the current. Deadly during summer and early fall, this pattern excels along banks, pocket water, and riffle edges where trout are quick to key in on terrestrials drifting helplessly in the film.

Target shady undercut banks and overhanging vegetation, and give the fly a tiny twitch mid-drift—just enough to make the parachute hackle wobble. That subtle movement perfectly mimics a struggling ant and triggers quick, aggressive takes.