Northern California’s Pit River is majestic and wild. On this
boulder-laden stretch of richly productive trout water, a fly angler
called Dave Sloan was inspired to create the perfect mayfly nymph.
Itching to replicate the notch he observed in the wing case of a local Pit River
Baetis, Sloan rushed home to his vise and got to work.
Sloan settled on the common turkey feather, and as he says
“colored it black, and epoxied it.”
Sloan’s Bead Head Mighty May March Brown fly pattern
is an extremely effective choice when imitating mature March brown
nymphs. It’s got a black bead that’ll give your offering a sweetly
seductive underwater profile – not as garish as a shiny gold bead. From
the Pit River to your home water, Dave Sloan’s Mighty May March Brown
nymph’s notched, epoxied wing case still steals the show.
Specifications:
- This fly pattern was developed by Dave Sloan while guiding clients on the Pit River in Northern California
- The Mighty May nymph series is defined by the dark, notched, and epoxy coated wing case
- March Brown imitation in the mature nymph life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- Hatches throughout North America occur during early spring (March through May)
- Nymphs are active during the morning and afternoon with rare but sometimes productive activity during the evening hours
- Fish on a dead drift in medium to fast water
- Use a high stick nymphing technique through really fast riffles
- When targeting fish during a prolific hatch, cast upstream and drift through the main current
- Look for March Brown nymphs in slower water just prior to emergence
- Trout feed on these insects with relative ease, so takes can be extremely soft – be ready to set the hook at the slightest twitch
- Using yarn or a March Brown dry fly as an indicator can be quite helpful in revealing subtle takes
- SIZE 14
When and Where to Fish Sloan’s Bead Head Mighty May March Brown
This
mayfly nymph can be fished as either an impressionistic fly pattern
when searching for trout or as a realistic imitation when matching the
hatch. When searching, fish this fly in the well-oxygenated water of
faster riffles and current seams. Fish this fly pattern throughout the
morning and afternoon hours – March brown nymphs are strong clingers
that tend to be active earlier in the day and are rarely observed
emerging during the evening hours. These olive green or dark brown
nymphs are prolific throughout North American trout waters and hatches
are most common during the heart of the spring (March through May),
giving this species its common name. March brown nymphs use their low
center of gravity and powerful flat legs to cling to the rocky debris
of their high energy environments. They are some of the strongest
clingers around and will not commonly become caught in the drift even
the strongest currents. These nymphs are most vulnerable to feeding
trout during their awkward and relatively long emergence to adult duns.
Look for March brown nymphs in faster riffles and current seams. During
emergence, be ready to cast to nearby areas of slower flow rates as
these nymphs will move to calmer water to hatch.
How to Fish Sloan’s Bead Head Mighty May March Brown
These
aquatic insects are not very strong swimmers, but are incredibly strong
clingers. They are commonly found in early spring on trout water across
North America, so it’s quite common to turn a rock over in the
springtime to find a prolific population of flat-bodied March Brown
nymphs clinging to the safety of the debris around them. Because these
mayfly nymphs are commonly found in the highest energy segments of
river environments and aren’t strong swimmers, fly anglers will find
the most success presenting this fly on a dead drift through fast
water. Look for well-oxygenated riffles, runs, and current seams, make
an upstream cast and mend, and drift the fly through the main current.
High stick nymphing techniques through fast water and well-defined
current seams can also be highly effective when fishing with a March
Brown nymph. Fly anglers will occasionally find success when dead
drifting a March Brown nymph through shallower, slower water next to
the faster riffles and current seams as these nymphs tend to seek out
lower energy environments to hatch to adult duns. Because these nymphs
are so vulnerable during emergence, trout feed on them with relative
ease, making the use of a strike indicator quite helpful when March
Browns are readily available in the main current.
March Brown
These
olive green or dark brown colored, medium-sized clinging nymphs are
loved throughout North America for their prolific early-season hatches
in fast water. March Browns in the nymph stage are easily identified by
their wide and extremely flat bodies, broad heads, large upward-looking
eyes, and three long tails. These insects follow the common life cycle
of mayflies and thrive in the rocky substrate of well-oxygenated and
rapidly moving aquatic systems. They are prolific in very fast riffles,
current seams, and the lower energy areas below and near these high
energy environments. March Browns emerge to adult duns during the
morning and afternoon hours of the early portion of the season (March
through May). As winged adults these mayflies display characteristic
speckled wings, banded abdomens, low-profile heads, and long twin
tails. The March Brown’s wide distribution and long hatches make this a
favorite offering of fly anglers itching to fish the early season
action after a long winter of fly tying, rod-building, and dreaming of
fly fishing.
March Brown Nymph Life Stage
During its
nymph life stage, these flat-bodied clingers are quite common in the
rocky substrate of high energy aquatic environments of good clarity.
Because their swimming ability is quite weak and their clinging ability
is of such great strength, these olive green to dark brown colored
nymphs are at their most vulnerable when leaving the safety of their
rocky homes to emerge to adult duns. For the bulk of their time in the
larval stage, March Browns are not available to feeding trout, and thus
are most effectively fished in the moderate to high energy environments
of riffles, runs, and current seams during emergence. Just prior to
hatching these awkward-swimming mayfly nymphs will gear up to make an
adventurous trip to the surface film to emerge to winged adults, often
moving gingerly to nearby sections of slower water. March Browns hatch
throughout the United States during early spring (March through May)
and are considered one of the best early season hatches on many of
North America’s best fly water. Nymphs and emergers are active
throughout the morning and afternoon when a hatch is on, so it never
hurts the early season angler to stock some March Brown nymphs in their
fly box.
About the Tyer: Dave Sloan
If you find
yourself near rivers with names like the Pit, Yuba, Truckee, or the
Upper Sac, you probably won’t be too far away from Mr. Dave Sloan, one
of Northern California’s better fly fishing resources. In addition to
running a legendary guiding service, Dave works and lives in
California’s capitol city of Sacramento where he runs a wide variety of
educational programs for fly fishers and fly tyers of all stripes. Dave
is passionate about the sport of fly fishing and has built a solid
reputation in the American West. Dave has licensed several of his
innovative fly designs to Umpqua Feather Merchants for wider production
and distribution, and his Mighty May nymph series has taken many trout
waters by storm! Dave continues to innovate and push the limits of both
fly fishing technique and fly tying, so keep an eye out for Sloan’s
next wicked fly!
Leland on Umpqua
In 1972 a man
named Dennis Black and his fly tying skills found themselves in high
demand. Mr. Black, then a professional production fly tyer, was famous
in the industry for his unsurpassed skill and speed with whipping up
tremendously beautiful and precisely constructed flies. It wasn’t long
until this young fly tying superstar realized that he ought to take his
consistent approach to quality to the next level. Shortly after this
realization, a small army of fly tyers had banded together to support
Mr. Black’s vision. With the likes of Dave Whitlock, Jack Dennis, and
Andy Puyans, Mr. Black was officially in business.
Dennis
Black’s new company Umpqua Feather Merchants quickly extended its reach
and fly production capabilities with expansion into India, Sri Lanka,
and Thailand, where the world’s first and full blown “fly tying
factories” were built. Since those early days, only the highest
standard of excellence has marked Umpqua and this commitment to quality
and efficiency continues to spur the company forward. Dennis Black’s
innovative vision for “fly production” has truly revolutionized how the
fly industry operates and has ultimately made the majority of
production flies better. From the first “royalty system” for rewarding
the most creative professional fly tyers to streamlining production
systems and offering a range of other products, Umpqua Feather
Merchants just seems to “do it all.”
Today, Umpqua Feather
Merchants is without a doubt the world’s best and most prolific
supplier of hand tied fly fishing flies as well as fly tying hooks and
materials, and they recently got better! Umpqua’s brand new, state of
the art headquarters in Louisville, Colorado marks another paradigm
shift in the way fly tying business is done. From its vast warehouse to
its specially designed inventory management and tracking system, Umpqua
is poised to continue its energetic trajectory and lead the way for the
next generation of flies and fly tyers.
Umpqua on Umpqua
"As
you may or may not know, we're the largest producer of quality
hand-tied flies in the world. We also make available through your local
fly shop a wide array of the finest fly-tying hackle and Tiemco hooks.
At
Umpqua we offer everything the angler needs to a have a first class
fishing experience. (Everything that is, but the water and the fish.)"
Umpqua on Dennis Black and the “Obvious Quest”
“The
idea first took shape in the hands of our founder, Dennis Black, back
in 1972. As a fast and facile professional fly tyer, Dennis was known
for his skill and speed at producing hundreds of dozens of flies each
year for the larger mail order houses. But he was also quick to realize
how fast the demand for excellent flies would outstrip the abilities of
cottage industry types like him.
The Obvious Quest: To create
excellent flies in sufficient supply – without sinking his standards.
In response, Dennis developed (with characteristic care) a methodical
plan: First, he enlisted the tying expertise of the likes of Dave
Whitlock, Jack Dennis, Andy Puyans and others, to help him set the
standard of excellence for Umpqua flies.
Next, Dennis
established the first of what would eventually be five separate
fly-tying “factories,” first in India, then in Sri Lanka, and finally
in Thailand. The primary focus at each of these factories was on
producing the very best fishing flies possible, constructed of the very
best materials available. From the beginning, the quantity of flies
produced was secondary to the quality and excellence of each fly
pattern. These high standards were assured by the personal involvement
of the fly designers themselves, and by the ever-increasing skill,
imagination and creativity of the Umpqua production fly tiers. Today,
you will find no flies more skillfully tied than those available from
Umpqua Feather Merchants.
Finally, Dennis created a system of
royalty payments, to reward professional tyers like Whitlock, Lefty
Kreh, Randall Kaufman, Larry Dahlberg, and Bob Popovics for uniquely
good patterns.
The Result: Today, Umpqua produces umpteen
thousand dozen flies, from micro-scopic midge imitations to the huge
patterns favored by marlin and sailfish. And the "Umpquality" – you’ll
see for yourself.”