American March Brown
Duns:
I hope you don't start reading this article about the March Browns if you haven't read the
first two because I don't intend to repeat the previously mentioned concerns about fishing
this hatch. The American March Brown dun is certainly a beautiful mayfly. It is so large
and colorful that you would think every big trout in the stream would focus on eating
them. However, I just haven't found that to be the case. For one thing, big fish don't
necessarily eat big mayflies. Before I give the wrong impression, let me point out that the
trout do eat the duns. There is no question about that. You may even see that happen
every once in a while.
You want to be aware of the fact that these mayflies will probably be found in different
sizes during the long hatch. They will not vary in size at any one specific time but they will
from the start of the hatch to the end of it. The duns will gradually transgress in sizes
throughout the long hatch period. These mayflies can vary in terms of hook sizes of their
imitations from a 10 to a 14, although most of them will be closer to a size 12.
Presentation:
Most anglers fish imitations of the March Brown dun just like they fish most any other
mayfly imitation. They just toss them in the fast water runs and riffles as they progress
upstream unaware that is not where the March Browns hatch. When they do this, every
once in a while they will catch a trout. In the fast water at the right time and place, an
opportunistically feeding trout would eat an imitation of baby rat; or I should say, a fly that
doesn't imitate anything. It is possible that a dun may not get off the water quick enough
to avoid being caught in the fast currents but that approach to fishing imitations of the
dun is a far cry from the most productive approach.
If you are going to imitate a March Brown dun, you need to present the fly in the places
the March Browns hatch. If you are not sure where they hatch then I suggest you go back
and read the first two articles. On colder days, these duns can struggle around on the
surface long enough to get caught up in the nearby fast water but most of the time all but
the cripples will be air borne long before the currents catch them.
If possible, you should present the fly with an upstream or up and across cast. You can
get closer to the fish fishing upstream. However, you may find that may not be the most
productive way to get the fly to a likely spot. A longer downstream or down and across
presentation may prove to be the best way to present the dun imitation. I don't intend to
get into presentation techniques, I just want to point out that you need to get the fly in the
areas of water where the March Browns hatch - that is slow moving, smooth water that is
adjacent to or nearby the fast water where they spend most of their life. If you do that at
the right time and place using a good imitation of the dun, you will get the type of
explosive reaction that makes dry fly fishing so great.
Duns:
I hope you don't start reading this article about the March Browns if you haven't read the
first two because I don't intend to repeat the previously mentioned concerns about fishing
this hatch. The American March Brown dun is certainly a beautiful mayfly. It is so large
and colorful that you would think every big trout in the stream would focus on eating
them. However, I just haven't found that to be the case. For one thing, big fish don't
necessarily eat big mayflies. Before I give the wrong impression, let me point out that the
trout do eat the duns. There is no question about that. You may even see that happen
every once in a while.
You want to be aware of the fact that these mayflies will probably be found in different
sizes during the long hatch. They will not vary in size at any one specific time but they will
from the start of the hatch to the end of it. The duns will gradually transgress in sizes
throughout the long hatch period. These mayflies can vary in terms of hook sizes of their
imitations from a 10 to a 14, although most of them will be closer to a size 12.
Presentation:
Most anglers fish imitations of the March Brown dun just like they fish most any other
mayfly imitation. They just toss them in the fast water runs and riffles as they progress
upstream unaware that is not where the March Browns hatch. When they do this, every
once in a while they will catch a trout. In the fast water at the right time and place, an
opportunistically feeding trout would eat an imitation of baby rat; or I should say, a fly that
doesn't imitate anything. It is possible that a dun may not get off the water quick enough
to avoid being caught in the fast currents but that approach to fishing imitations of the
dun is a far cry from the most productive approach.
If you are going to imitate a March Brown dun, you need to present the fly in the places
the March Browns hatch. If you are not sure where they hatch then I suggest you go back
and read the first two articles. On colder days, these duns can struggle around on the
surface long enough to get caught up in the nearby fast water but most of the time all but
the cripples will be air borne long before the currents catch them.
If possible, you should present the fly with an upstream or up and across cast. You can
get closer to the fish fishing upstream. However, you may find that may not be the most
productive way to get the fly to a likely spot. A longer downstream or down and across
presentation may prove to be the best way to present the dun imitation. I don't intend to
get into presentation techniques, I just want to point out that you need to get the fly in the
areas of water where the March Browns hatch - that is slow moving, smooth water that is
adjacent to or nearby the fast water where they spend most of their life. If you do that at
the right time and place using a good imitation of the dun, you will get the type of
explosive reaction that makes dry fly fishing so great.
Copyright 2008 James Marsh
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