Sanders' March Brown Soft Hackle (tyed by DOUGSDEN)

[letumgo]

Carl Sanders' March Brown Soft Hackle (Pattern by Oldhat/tyed by DOUGSDEN)




Here is another fly tyed by Doug (DOUGSDEN). He tells me that this is Carl (Oldhat) Sanders' March Brown pattern.

Hopefully they both chime in with more background/discussion.

Beautiful job Doug.

[Partsman]

Ray, thanks for sharing this photo with us, oldhats patterns are beautifully designed and Doug has done a masterful job with his rendition. I hope they both chime in on this pattern, of special interest to me is the dubbing mixture or dubbing used and hook choice, hooks and dubbing, my two favorite topics.
Mike.

[Roadkill]

Beautiful pattern and tying!!

[Variant]

Outstanding! Well done

Lou

[RickA]

So I'm drooling all over my laptop as I attempt to log in just to say DANG!
Awesome stuff from your den, Doug..
The rivers here are up and ripping and the wind is howling.
Time to fire up the stove, build some bugs, and watch football.
Stay safe and warm.

[DOUGSDEN]

Hi Guys and a HUGE thank you Ray for posting these pics!

Background.....here's my end of it! A few years ago (Carl, please make corrections where necessary!), Carl posted this pattern on his wonderful website "Old Hat" Flyfishing. I fell in love with this site and the pattern(s) within! I liked the March Brown Soft Hackle so much that I tied it (with permission from Carl) for the March Brown Flymph Swap in March of 2020! There were sooo many great entries in that swap including a great entry (a different but equally beautiful pattern) from Carl!

Carl's style of tying is distinct and unique and quite beautiful as most of you have witnessed and can attest! For a duffer like me it took some time to bring it around but I finally got it! It is a killer of a pattern on my locals and they never seem to tire of it. Or, they have very short memories! Carl, I cannot thank you enough for the design of this elegant and intriguing pattern! It is simple but very effective!

The best samples (2) that I have tied to date I have stored in a small tin. I would like to show them to you! I kept the apart because they they look most like what Carl ties! (Ray, If I may impose.....I'll send you some pics soon!)

Carl, your turn! I would be interested to know more about how you came up with the design of this pattern! What were your inspirations and perspirations for this beauty?

Doug

EDIT - PHOTOS ADDED:

[letumgo]

Doug - Those copies are superb! You've got these dialed in perfectly. I love the proportions and body taper.

Fishable art, at it's finest.

[RickA]

I noticed those tapers too, Ray
Classic Bill Shuck and Old Hat style with a touch of Hidy inspiration,
Well done, Doug

[Mike62]

I once said that in my next life I wanted to come back as a bare hook in Carl's vise. That still stands, but it won't hurt my feelings one bit if I land at Doug's house. Outstanding work, Doug!

...Dana, these look a lot like the ties you sent up to me! Same swept back hackling...

[DOUGSDEN]

Hi Everyone!
Again, a huge THANKS goes out to Ray for posting the pics I send to him! Thank you Friend!
And, an equally huge THANKS goes out to all of you who lift me up with such great (and humorous - Mike!) comments and confidence in my tying! I stand as a sapling amoungst the tall trees of this forum! You guys are the real hero's always!
Tying in the "Sanders Style" is a true exercise in deliberate restraint! I mean this in a very good way Carl because the end results are always amazing! The two main areas where I have the most trouble with fattening of a pattern is dubbing and hackling! For me, it seems very easy to simply add one more turn of hackle or fail to tighten or loosen a length of dubbing being applied to the hook shank. Lack of practice and restraint on my part! "Even a blind hog roots up an acorn once in a while!" Lol!
At the core, Carl's design of the pattern is whats special! Every component has been carefully chosen and flawlessly executed! I find this to be true on every pattern he lists on his web-site! Their beauty also lies in their simplicity which I find very appealing to my eye!
D in the Den