March Brown Flymph...Version X (Eastern US, male)

[William Anderson]

Carl, that golden peasant pattern just makes me happy. It's a great pattern, not exceptionally durable but a killer fly. After posting this I realized I only have a couple left. Something I need to take care of. Thanks for the Nemes patterns. I always forget he used that pattern.

Eric, grammons this Spring! Maybe another pattern to geek out over.

[William Anderson]

So I threatened to add a few more versions to this thread as I continue to fine tune a specific pattern. These deviations are getting closer to the mark, as a pattern I would like to test this Spring.

First, a slightly more sparse version of V5, one less turn of partridge and a bit of the fox mask's ginger guard hairs chopped into the mix for texture. Eric Peper and others suggest a size 10 or 12, which I think is a good idea. These are tied on a #14 1xlong dry fly hook. I do have some on a #12 1xlong as well. I have plenty of patterns to cover Gray Foxes and a variety of sizes for the March Browns.

March Brown Flymph V6 still red fox mask on orange silk with a pale yellow buttonhole twist rib and partridge tail and hackle.


March Brown Flymph V7 same pattern tied with a red fox head, setting the hackle back just a bit.


March Brown Soft Hackle 02 golden pheasant tail twisted with twisted strands of 6a orange.


March Brown Soft Hackle same, sans tail.


After sorting through the slight variations, I think I would have the most confidence in V7, with the dubbed head. These are smaller, but it seems that once you get to a size 10 or larger, it makes a lot more sense to create a proportional head, more like the natural. Likely makes no difference in the world but as long as I fussing with nuances and details, this is the time to explore this kind of thing.

I know Carl fishes a lot of Birds Nest style flies and I have had success with a couple patterns that I used as larger searching patterns in the past couple seasons with a dubbed head. Anyone else like this aspect in the design or is there some limitation to the hackles movement that makes it a less desirable proposition?

Again, much thanks for your patience and tolerance as this thread plugs along.

w

[tie2fish]

I like that V2 rocket too, w. The head is a nice touch and I'm partial to that jaunty tail angle as well. Beautifully evolved.

[DOUGSDEN]

Dang those are nice William! Evolution works for you in this series! Wonderfully done!
D.

[William Anderson]

Thanks, Bill and Doug. I appreciate the vote of confidence.

[DOUGSDEN]

Good one Jeff!

[Old Hat]

I like the March Brown Soft hackle 02 pattern and add the dubbed head just a tad darker from the flymph V7. Would be a good western pattern.

[William Anderson]

Thanks Carl. The soft hackle patterns both lend themselves to the western species closer than the eastern species, size and color combination. The silk darkens and blends with the herl, coming up close to what you've worked out for the Western pattern. Take the color out and these are better matches for the UK and the German species. It would be a joy to drift these in those waters as well.

The red fox when wet darkens to a darker tan and the button hole twist maintains the golden color more so than pearsalls silk. The overall tone could be even lighter with more ginger guard hairs if I wanted to continue fussing with it. Actually any of these are just fine, but it's a fun process.