The Classics, March Brown

[maharg]

March Brown

The March Brown (rithrogena germanica) is a river fly and one of the first flies copied by anglers. Initially it was thought to be widespread, but studies have shown that the true March Brown is much more localized. Very much a northern fly with perhaps a presence in the West Country.

• Hook wet fly 14-10
• tail partridge neck or tail
• Body hares ear fur
• Rib gold tinsel, wire or oval in the smaller sizes
• Hackle brown partridge neck
• Wing hen pheasant tail or wing secondaries

I have seen a couple of examples listing bronze mallard for the tail. I have tied mine with this cos I like it.

Silver March Brown

• As the original but with,
• Body silver tinsel
• rib silver wire

A great stillwater pattern and an effective imitation of a hatching sedge.

Though a river fly I can only find one referance to a dry pattern. Taff Price offers a dressing of,

• Hook 12
• Thread primrose
• Tail cree hackle fibres
• Body mixed hares ear and yellow seals fur
• Wing dark hen pheasant slips, set upright
• Hackle cree cock

Hope you like it and please give it a swim.
P.S. was hoping the river guys could show us some of the nymphs and spiders connected with this patten.
Cheers, Graham

[madjoni]

Originally Posted by maharg

March Brown

Initially it was thought to be widespread, but studies have shown that the true March Brown is much more localized.

Hi maharg
Can you explain this ?You think that real alive insect is local or imitation of this insect?

[flyfishwithme]

VG Graham ans effective on rivers in smaller sizes.

[maharg]

Originally Posted by madjoni

Hi maharg
Can you explain this ?You think that real alive insect is local or imitation of this insect?

There is another natural fly called the late or false march brown (ecdyonurus venosus) That is far more common and mixed up with the true march brown. I also think that the brook dun was confused as a true march brown. No expert, where is Terry Cousins when you need him

[madjoni]

Originally Posted by maharg

There is another natural fly called the late or false march brown (ecdyonurus venosus) That is far more common and mixed up with the true march brown. I also think that the brook dun was confused as a true march brown. No expert, where is Terry Cousins when you need him

I understand what you mean
Well we have here rithrogena germanica,rithrogena semicolorata and ecdyonurus also.I love this old patern,first photo,never used silver one.....

[Buzz]

V nice ties Graham
The silver one used to always be on my Loch casts.

[Ephemerella]

Originally Posted by maharg

March Brown

The March Brown (rithrogena germanica) is a river fly and one of the first flies copied by anglers. Initially it was thought to be widespread, but studies have shown that the true March Brown is much more localized. Very much a northern fly with perhaps a presence in the West Country.

Though a river fly I can only find one referance to a dry pattern.

Nice wets maharg; I like a Silver March Brown. To be honest I thought we were going to get a classic dry-fly.


Until DNA comparisons were made the March Brown was considered a fly of the British Isles Rhithrogena harrupi
It came as a shock to find ours was the continental variety and had to be re-named Rhithrogena germanica. I dare say madjoni has imitations for where he fishes.

Back to localized. J R Harris' An Angler's Entomology has distribution map showing the species in Ireland, Scotland and Wales as well as the Midlands and Northern England.
Oddly his map shows the March Brown as absent in the West Country.

[madjoni]

Originally Posted by Ephemerella

I dare say madjoni has imitations for where he fishes.

.

I dare but dont want to ruin this fine thread

[dabchick]

Image courtesey of Wikipedia and Dr. Arne Haybach of Ephemeroptera Germanica

[maharg]

Very nice dabchick, a nice wee addition to the post.

---------- Post added at 01:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:09 PM ----------

Originally Posted by madjoni

I dare but dont want to ruin this fine thread

Come on mate, post the picture up.[COLOR="Silver"]

---------- Post added at 01:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:10 PM ----------

Was hoping the river guys would come up with the goods on a dry pattern. As I said I can only find one referance to a dry pattern
I would imagine that because the southern chalkstream boys didnt have it it was ignored. The Northern/Scots anglers seemed to be more into wets and spiders than dries. What do you think?