March Browns...WTF?

[ceviche]

Yep. "WTF?" was my response when I got around to tying up some funnelduns for my first shot at making a March Brown pattern. I have this nifty dispenser box of fine dubbing for dry flies made by Spirit River. It has names for all the colors: "Black, Rust, March Brown, Hare's Ear, Adams Grey, Blue Dun, etc." Pretty nifty, eh?

So I tie up a handful of funnelduns using the "March Brown" dubbing, feeling pretty confident that "March Brown" must be the right color for imitating the color of a March Brown mayfly. (You, the knowledgable reader: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: ) Later, I go online to double check for the size and color of the March Brown. Lo and behold: the stinking mayfly is actually more a tan olive than brown. WTF? :beathead:

So why is the March Brown called that? Could it be a marketing ploy on the part of the fly tying marketing industry? I feel boned over.

At this point, I think my funnel duns would be best served if the body was dubbed with the "Hare's Ear" blend and I used grizzly hackle for the funnel wing.

Any out there who can weigh in with March Brown advice? :confused:

[Tim Cottage]

Well it sounds better than shite brown doesn't it?

TC

[ceviche]

Well it sounds better than shite brown doesn't it?

TC

:rofl: iagree So it must be safe to assume you own the same dispenser pack?

[sashjo]

I believe that the east coast has a different color MB which might explain why the dubbing is the wrong color out here.

[Zen Piscator]

march browns are diff from river to river. one of the local creeks (closed during the hatch :mad: ) has a deep brown while others are more tan/brown. I don't think the fish care.

Peace,
Andy

[ceviche]

Your words give me comfort, Zen.:beathead: But seriously, I'll be sure to give the funnelduns I tied a try if I see any trout actively taking March Browns at the surface, though I will be tying up some with olive/tan bodies and grizz hackle. Wish me luck for when I hit the Yak.

[earlsmith]

It's been my experience on the yak that that dry fly won'y be keyed on till after some of the run off and a warmer river. and it wasn't the color so much as if there was a visible wing incorporated before the hackle was palmered. The "American" march brown is tied with a visible barber pole effect, either with a biot or gold tinsle. I usually don't even tie that fly for the Yak until late may/june and keep it there through the summer.

Earl

[Dan Soltau]

I fished the yak on satruday and caught 15 fish on sz20 beatis, it was awesome, but i must say some of the best dry fly fishing involves a march brown followed by a bwo. Damn good

[salt dog]

In average years Yakima hatches are just starting at the end of March, though a cooler spring this year may delay their onset. During April they should soon come off with clock-like regularity around 2:00 p.m. (daylight time) and last an hour or more, rain or shine. You'll find larger concentrations below and within 75 yards of a good riffle. Less prodigious hatches continue into May as you proceed further up river.

Although the debate seems as annual as spring thaw, IMHO, presentation, size and profile are of top priority during the hatch, and then color, 'elbows and arseholes' as the saying goes. Definitely save those darker funnelduns, especially for the early hatches (or send them to me!). As the fish get more picky, color is going to be more important. I agree with Earl that biot gives a better, slimmer profile and smoother abdominal texture, as I always tend to use too much dubbing, and biot adds the characteristic ribbing feature.

It's always so nice to be able to start using flies you can see worth a darn after using BWO's and midges.

[mr trout]

Yeah, a lot of labeled colors are crap. You just have to get out to where you fish a lot and get a feel for real life colors. In my opinion, the Yakima has fairly dark March Browns, much moreso than the colors you see in magazines and such. P.S. They are starting to come off a little now too. I saw a few the other day, and I have one here in my room in a vial next to my computer keeping me company til he dies. He made the dun/spinner change last night. Way cool.

[ceviche]

All you guys are the bomb! Thanks so much for all the killer info. It's times like this that I really love this website. I'll be back to the vise for sure--and I hope to bring all this knowledge with me when I hit the Yak soon.