When he created his now famous Sparkle
Dun, Craig Mathews’ decided he’d put some sparkle in the genealogy of a
large attractor fly pattern introduced by Al Caucci and Bob Nastasi in
their 1972 fly tying manual “Comparahatch.” Caucci and Nastasi’s fly
pattern, called “The Comparadun,” was a modernized variation of “The
Haystack,” a relatively simple fly constructed primarily of deer hair.
When he tied the Sparkle Dun, Mathews added a Z-lon “shuck” to an
already tweaked fly and forever left his mark on the angler’s craft and
on successful fly fishing.
Mathews’ Sparkle Dun March Brown is
hand tied by the professional production tyers at Umpqua Feather
Merchants to imitate an adult March Brown mayfly. Its design allows it
to be highly visible and extremely stable in the water, and the
trailing Z-lon shuck adds a bit of extra realism as many adult
mayflies. Try this fantastic fly pattern out next time you’re out
west and in the midst of a frenzy of March Brown duns.
Specifications:
- This fly pattern was developed by Craig Mathews, one of the world’s leading experts on fly fishing the greater Yellowstone area in the western United States
- The Sparkle Dun has its roots in two older flies: The Haystack and The Comparadun
- Trailing Z-lon shuck adds extra realism
- March Brown imitation in the adult life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- A must-have fly pattern for any western fly angler
- Hatches throughout North America occur during early spring (March through May)
- Nymphs and emergers 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
- When targeting fish during a prolific hatch, cast upstream and drift through the main current
- Be sure to use lighter terminal tackle when fishing slower eddys and pools
- Cooler, overcast days can produce some of the best hatches of March Browns
- SIZE 14
When and Where to Fish Mathews’ Sparkle Dun March Brown
This
mayfly dun 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, current seams, and even in slower flows adjacent to
higher energy spots. Fish this fly pattern throughout the morning and
afternoon hours and even into the evening hours. These brownish tan
duns 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 duns will often ride
along the water’s surface for considerable distances before fluttering
away to streamside vegetation. Look for these classic mayflies as they
ride along the surface of the main drift. March Brown duns will
resemble tiny sailboats in the current, and you’ll often find them
sailing along in faster riffles and current seams. Calmer water
adjacent to these higher energy environments can also be great places
to spot hatched adults, and cool, overcast days will produce the most
prolific hatches of western March Browns.
How to Fish Mathews’ Sparkle Dun March Brown
Mature
nymphs of this species 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. If there are a
good number of these nymphs present, look for a solid hatch towards the
late morning and early afternoon hours. When a hatch is on, these early
season mayflies will float for long distances downstream before
flittering off to find mates. Trout will generally follow these
relatively large morsels for good distances before striking, and they
also tend to be extremely selective during a particularly strong hatch
of adults. Be sure to examine how and where trout are rising and aim
your dead drift toward these hot areas. If you find good feeding action
in slower water like eddys below rougher water and longer runs, be sure
to use longer leaders and lighter tippet and use a good stalking method
in order to avoid spooking the target fish.
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 Adult Life Stage
During
its adult life stage, these relatively large mayflies are often found
floating along the water’s surface before quickly retreating to the
safety of streamside vegetation. 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, and when a hatch is on, trout can quite
literally have their pick of these protein rich bugs. March Brown duns
are known for their relatively rapid emergence and characteristically
long downstream drifts. These classic mayflies are often likened to a
fleet of tiny sailboats drifting through riffles, runs, and gentle
eddys. Eastern March Brown and Western March Brown adults differ
slightly in color and this difference should be noted when fishing in
either region; Eastern species tend to be more buttery in color while
western species tend to display brownish olive shades.
About the Tyer: Craig Mathews
The
sport of fly fishing just grabs hold of some people and never lets go.
That’s what happened to Craig Mathews, accomplished fly tyer, fly
fishing guide, avid conservationist, and owner of West Yellowstone,
Montana’s Blue Ribbon Flies. In his career, Craig has done lots to
advance the sport, and in 2005 he was named “Angler of the Year” by Fly
Rod & Reel magazine. He’s written several books on fly fishing in
the western United States and he even teamed with the visionary head of
Patagona, Inc. to organize and launch 1% for the Planet, a group of
successful companies committed to giving 1 percent of their annual
revenues to environmental conservation efforts. Craig continues to
employ his strong business acumen and love of fly fishing on a daily
basis from his post in West Yellowstone, Montana, helping to push fly
fishing on to its next frontier.
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.”
