Before I give you the recipe for this fly, let me give you some background info.
Last night was a very productive night at the vise. I left work with an idea for a new style of emerger pictured in my head. One of those ideas that has you nearly forgetting to shut the door behind you as you fling your coat off and make a bee line for your bench. The first two prototypes came out well, but there are still a couple features I want to modify before unleashing details on a fly that is absolutely 100% positively guaranteed to catch the biggest,spookiest, smartest fish in the river. Anyways, I’m sitting there working on this emerger when I get the idea for the March Brown Nymph you see above. I’m calling it, “James Brown”, cause this dude is gettin’ down.
Last Spring while waiting for Hendricksons to start popping on the local trickle, I was flipping over every rock and log I could in the slower side pools. There were March Brown nymphs galore. So when I got home I decided to do a little R&D and flipped to the section on March Browns in my copy of Hatches II. Turns out, the nymphs migrate to these slower side channels just prior to emergence.
And wouldn’t you know it, about a week later these guys were popping like corn.
I plan to swing this pattern very slowly from the riffles into the slow side channels, while waiting for the next wave of Hendricksons. Then, when these guys decide to show themselves, I’ve got an emerger pattern that no trout will refuse- for real. For now, though, this nymph pattern will keep you busy.
James Brown
Hook: #10 Mustad 37160
Underbody: A strip of .020 lead on each side of the shank
Tails: Golden Pheasant Tail Barbs(don’t trim)
Rib: krystal flash, or thread
Abdomen: Amber Dubbing, then palmer with the excess GP from the tails. Trim the butt ends when you get to the thorax, but don’t throw them out, they’re your legs.
Thorax: Amber and Olive/Brown Dubbing
Legs: Butt ends from GP used for tails
Wingcase: Olive Brown Medallion Sheeting
Eyes: X-Small Dumbell Eyes
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