March Brown Emerger

We've been seeing a few more March Brown Duns lately and maybe we'll get a real hatch this year. The March Brown hatch on the Lower Yuba just isn't one that comes off consistently year after year. With the early spring type conditions and the lack of rain maybe this will be one of the good years. With that said it's time to tie up some March Brown patterns to get ready just in case.

Here's a March Brown Emerger that is tough to beat. It's worked well for me. I'm not sure where the pattern came from but this is how I tie it.

March Brown Emerger Recipe

Hook: 2x Long Nymph Hook, TMC 3761BL
Thread: 8/0 Tan
Lead: .015 wrapped along side hook shank outrigger style
Tail: Ginger Z-lon
Tail Fibers: 5 or 6 Brown Hackle Fibers
Rib: Small Copper Wire
Dubbing: Hares Ear Synthetic Dubbing
Hackle: Partridge Soft Hackle
Underwing: Ginger Z-lon
Overwing: Brown CDC Fibers

Step 1: Insert hook into vise and start the thread at the head and wrap down the hook shank just to the bend of the hook.

Tie in .015 lead outrigger style if desired.

Step 2: Separate a small bunch of Z-lon fibers, about 12 to 15 strands and tie in as a tailing shuck. Extend the fibers long and cut off 1/8" past the end of the hook.

Step 3. Select about 5 brown hackle fibers and tie in as the tail. Extend the hackle fibers about 1/16" past the Z-Lon shuck.

Step 4. (Multiple Steps)
(4a) Tie in small wire for rib
(4b) Wrap thread dubbed with a sparse amount of Hares Ear Dubbing forward to about 1/8" from the eye
(4c) Wrap the wire rib forward and tie in off. Clip off excess
                   wire.







Step 5: Prepare a small partridge hackle and tie it in about 1/8" back from the eye. 













Step 6. Wrap the soft hackle so you have a sparse soft hackle all the way around.













Step 7. Tie in a small bunch of Ginger Z-lon fibers as an underwing. Cut the Z-Lon fibers at the bend of the hook shank.

Step 8. Select a small brown CDC hackle and tie in as an overwing. Match the length of the Z-Lon underwing.

Step 9. Tie off the head and whip finish.