Even the world’s most effective fly patterns can be overfished. That’s
just what professional fly fisherman, guide, and fly tyer, Andy Burk,
found when fishing with Pheasant Tail Nymphs on Northern California’s
dramatic Fall River – the fish were wising up to his classic offering.
In
the face of this observation, Burk quietly made his way home, and began
to tweak different fly patterns to be more
effective on his water, and ultimately catching his clients more
fish. Burk's series of popular Hunchback patterns was born.
Burk’s Tungsten Bead
Hunchback March Brown is a sweet imitation of the March Brown mayfly in
its emerger life stage. Burk designed this fly with attractive
contrast, color, flash, and weight in mind; it’s got a characteristic
humped scud-style hook, dark wing pads, a tungsten bead head for
fishing lower in the water column, and employs a special dubbing blend
that lends it an underwater realism that trout can’t resist!
Specifications:
- This fly pattern was developed by professional fly tyer Andy Burk of Reno, Nevada
- Tungsten bead head on this fly is particularly helpful when fishing really fast water and when trout are keyed in on emerger activity a bit deeper in the water column
- March Brown imitation in the mature nymph or emerger 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
- Swinging this fly through faster riffles can be quite effective
- 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 Burk's Tungsten Bead Head Hunchback March Brown
This
mayfly emerger imitation 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 emergers 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. These
emergers are most vulnerable to feeding trout during their awkward and
relatively long emergence to adult duns. Look for March Brown nymphs
and emergers 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 emerge and hatch.
How to Fish Burk's Tungsten Bead Head Hunchback 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 emerger imitation on a dead drift
through fast water. The tungsten bead head on this particular fly is
great for fishing really fast water and when you need to get the fly a
bit deeper in the water column. Look for well-oxygenated riffles, runs,
and current seams, make an upstream cast and mend, and drift the fly
through the main current. Traditional wet fly swinging techniques
through fast water and well-defined current seams can also be highly
effective when fishing with a March Brown emerger. 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 Emerger 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 are thus quite important to feeding trout in their
emerger life stage. March brown emergers 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: Andy Burk
Andy
Burk has been fly fishing all his life and loves to share his
experience, ideas, creativity, and techniques with anyone who’ll
listen. He’s a tremendously successful angler who has a big personality
and lots of fun wherever he is. A well-known professional fly designer
for Umpqua Feather Merchants, Andy has developed a cult following among
fly tyers by willingly sharing many of his best secrets at traveling
fly tying shows and in-shop demonstrations. Andy has recently begun to
reach many others by using 21st Century technology to his advantage.
Thanks to Andy and You Tube, Internet-savvy fly tyers and fly anglers
from all corners of the globe can now bring his fly tying tips into
their living rooms and offices. Andy continues to develop new ideas
from his home in Reno, Nevada, and is will continue to be an asset to
the fly fishing industry for decades to come.
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.”
