A March Brown Soft Hackle

[tie2fish]

I suppose there are hundreds of versions of this particular insect, and here's mine for this year ...

A March Brown Soft Hackle
Hook: Daiichi 1530, #12
Thread: Pearsall's Gossamer, jasper
Hackle: Hen back feather from Greenwell set
Tail: Three (3) pheasant tail fibers
Rib: X-small gold mylar tinsel
Abdomen: Equal parts cinnamon, gold, and natural cream seal in dubbing loop
Thorax: Narrow band of loosly touch dubbed natural hare's ear

This photo is lost.

[Old Hat]

That looks very nice. There are a bazillion march brown patterns and just about as many variations in color of march browns. Your pattern proportion appears true to the march brown profile. Fairly fat, nice taper, shorter tail, somewhat ragged looking. It should produce well for you.

Carl

[willowhead]

An INSTANT "Classic!"

[William Anderson]

That looks very nice. There are a bazillion march brown patterns and just about as many variations in color of march browns. Your pattern proportion appears true to the march brown profile. Fairly fat, nice taper, shorter tail, somewhat ragged looking. It should produce well for you.

Carl

OH, I know I've tied a new version of this everytime I try it. I can't imagine how many variations there are, even published, for this fly. A bazillion is probably pretty close.

Bill, this really is a nice pattern, with a lot of life and a nice match. When are these little guys going to come off in your area?

w

[letumgo]

Superb fly and photo, Bill. Wonderful proportions.

[tie2fish]

william ~ I've never witnessed a large hatch on the Gunpowder, and usually find more of them up in central PA after the middle of May. A couple of years ago I was on Penn's Creek just after Memorial Day looking for the elusive Green Drakes, and stumbled into the most amazing spinner fall I've ever had the opportunity to witness -- coffin flies, March Browns, and sulfurs all at the same time. Sure do wish I'd had a video camera that evening. We were so mesmerized by the mass insect life/death spectacle that we almost neglected to fish

[William Anderson]

I've only ever seen sporatic hatches of these guys, but they have been everywhere from norther PA to NC. I saw a nice hatch of these once on Slate Run in Tioga Co, PA. Nothing of any scale like what you saw on Penns. I was just reading the intro of Thomas Ames' Hatches of New England book, and he was talking about the equalizing effects of larger rivers and the aging processes of these bigger systems. That makes sense for Penns Creek to provide a consistent environment for hatches to happen the way you describe them. I've never actually fished water that size, so the sulphur hatches in State College are about as prolific as I've encountered. The water I usually fish is small to medium and fish are usually more opportunistic. I'll have to show up for a major event like that some time on some bigger water. That sounds like fun.

This pattern would have been great for any of the MB hatches I've seen.

w

[DOUGSDEN]

Bill,
This fly ain't nuthin'......but wonderfully tied and pleasing to the eye and I would suspect pleasing to the fishes eye as well. Your work amazes us contstantly dear friend! Oh, to sit in your parlor and simply watch and learn! Warm up the coffee. I'll be down!
In awe,
Dougsden

[redietz]

I've never witnessed a large hatch on the Gunpowder,

I fact, I've never witnessed a big hatch of them anywhere. I don't think I've ever seen more than about 10 in the same day. On those days, though, the fish definitely seem to notice them. Perhaps because they're so sparse, and are large enough to be an attractive meal, they've always been worth imitating.

[willowhead]

We get great March Brown hatches in the Catskills.....i've witnessed some way serious spinner falls as well, on the Willow, the Beaverkill, the East Branch Delaware and the Big D. Btw for those who'ver ever wonder why so many rivers in PA., N.Y., Vermont and elsewhere have the word kill attached to them.....Beaverkill, Battenkill, Bushkill, Wallkill, Bashakill, etc., etc., the word kill means river in Dutch. The Dutch named a lot of the rivers back in the days. Willowemoc is an Indian name.
i just read an article tonight.....(i'm still getting Eastern Fly Fisher or whatever the name of it is i scored a lotta years once at Somerset for some kinna bribe ), all about Penns Creek, and while i've been aware of it for maybe 15 yrs., i've never had the pleasure. But i've heard many an angler talk of it with reverence. And any river with a good Green Drake hatch, is my kinna stream. That's what we live for in the Catskills. COFFIN FLIES.....