Catskills fly fishing in the 1800s. Notice the guide’s left hand – he’s got two stringers with God knows how many fish and probably indigenous brook trout, which would soon be nearly extinct due to human activity. A Wikimedia commons image.
March Brown, no, I mean Mayfly
By Skip Clement
The Mayfly, as we know it in the east, has European parentage, and it got called the March Brown when it became synonymous with the Catskills – the origin of American fly angling.
It hatches based on water temperature – once into the 50sºF and during the warmest part of the day. It is additionally unique because of its large size [#10, #12, #14] and tied on 2L hooks. The March Brown does not hatch all at once like sulphurs, blue olives, and others, and therefore does not flood the water.
Trout are always on the lookout for this kind of ‘bug’ because its hatches last over such an extended period and closely resembles other warm water hatches like drakes.
