March Brown Fly of the week: March Brown

The March Brown is a tried and true searching pattern.  This little fly is a member of the Mayfly family the March Brown Dun.  The M.B. fly is generally one of the very first to hatch in the early spring.   Its hatches seem to take place in the absolute worst weather conditions.  The scientific name for the march browns is Rithrogena germanica.  Which I believe means big fat hairy insect or possibly a big fat hairy German.  I am not very good with latin as you can probably tell.  Regardless, the march brown is a fantastic early season dry fly.  Most successful anglers fish it as a wet fly, however, as a early seasoned dry it reins supreme.  I have included a picturte of the real deal and it’s tied counterpart.

 

Charlie Bagley

{Recipe for the fly shown}

  

Hook: standard dry or wet fly hook 10-16

Thread: to match body

Tail: brown partridge

Wing: hen pheasant

Rib: fine copper wire

Legs: brown partridge (the darker the better)

Body: brown dubbing