In the early 1980s, Doug Swisher, one of modern fly fishing’s greatest
ambassadors, created his revered Madam X dry fly pattern. Since its
quiet introduction on the Big Sky state’s most storied trout water,
this pattern has developed a loyal following among anglers from New
Zealand to Tierra del Fuego.
Large bugs tend to float high on
the water’s surface and put up visible struggles as they fight the main
current, so Mr. Swisher designed this fly to be heavy on hackle and
long on legs. The Madam X is named after its signature crossed rubber
legs which provide the bug with loads of animated movement. The clever
addition of a parachute wing post makes this fly highly visible, even
in the roughest and toughest riffles and current seams. The Peacock
Parachute Madam X is an excellent imitation of that large early season
morsel, the skwala stonefly – put a neat little row of these bugs in
your trout fly box, head to Montana or Washington, and you won’t be
disappointed.
Specifications:
- The Madam X was developed in the early 1980s by fly fishing legend Doug Swisher
- The fly was originally intended to imitate large stoneflies, hoppers, and other terrestrials common to the storied trout water of southwestern Montana
- Addition of parachute wing post renders this fly highly visible even in the roughest water
- Skwala stonefly imitation in the emerger or adult life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- Drift the fly through different water types; faster riffles and shallower water near the banks of a river with moderate to slow currents are the most productive water types for this fly
- Skwala stoneflies are available to trout during the early season (February – April) in stretches of trout water in Montana and Washington
- Hatches occur consistently and with long duration throughout the daylight hours
- Strikes on skwala stoneflies are often far from subtle because trout must often be prepared to rip these strong clingers from their rocky homes
- When approaching a shallow water environment with a stonefly imitation, be extremely careful not to spook happily feeding trout
- SIZE 10
When and Where to Fish the Peacock Parachute Madam X – Skwala
This
large sized adult stonefly can be fished as either an impressionistic
fly pattern when searching for trout or as a realistic imitation when
matching the hatch. Skwala stoneflies are active in trout water
throughout Montana and Washington and are available during the early
season months of February, March, and April. When searching, fish this
fly in riffles, well defined current seams, areas below faster
currents, and near exposed rocky structure and streamside vegetation.
Shallow water near the river bank will also be productive when fishing
a skwala stonefly hatch, so be sure to survey the scene thoroughly.
These adults do not possess strong flying ability, however, and are
often swept into the main current’s drift – look for these floating
specimens in the main drift as well as shallower, less energetic water
near sheltered areas. Prior to and during an early season emergence, an
angler will easily spot large, darkly-colored skwala stonefly nymphs
crawling from the rocky depths to the shallower water along the river
bank and eventually to the surface of exposed rocks and vegetation to
shed their shucks and hatch into winged adults – this is the sign to
begin fishing the skwala stonefly hatch.
How to Fish the Peacock Parachute Madam X – Skwala
Fish
this fly in a variety of water types; a popular strategy is to fish
these patterns on a dead drift right through the main current –
drifting an emergent or adult skwala stonefly through faster riffles,
current seams, and the slower water just below these areas can yield
excellent results. Stonefly nymphs emerge after crawling to the safety
of the shoreline rather than shedding their nymphal shucks in the
water’s surface film like mayflies. This pre- and during-emergence
behavior renders shallower streamside water quite productive just prior
to and during a skwala stonefly emergence and hatch. Skwala stones make
themselves available on trout water in Montana and Washington
throughout the day during the months of February, March, and April.
When they are active, trout prey on them hungrily and voraciously, so
don’t be surprised when you feel an aggressive take – set the hook
confidently and with care if you happen to be fishing with lighter
leaders and tippet material!
Skwala Stonefly
Skwala stoneflies are large aquatic insects
native to stretches of water in Montana and Washington. The thickest
populations of these olive and olive brown or black stoneflies can be
found in the Bitterroot region of western Montana and throughout trout
water in Washington. The skwala is a crawling stonefly that can often
be mistaken for smaller specimens of the more common and widespread
black stonefly due to its similar physical appearance. Skwalas are
active throughout the day in their native range throughout the early
season months of February, March, and April. The heaviest and most
productive hatches of skwala stoneflies occurs during March when waters
tend to reach and surpass 50 degrees, the ideal hatching temperature
for these bugs. Adult males of the species can be easily identified by
their intriguing lack of wings, and female adults are easily seen
darting above the water’s surface, carefully depositing their eggs in
the surface film. Skwalas have become increasingly popular with die
hard early season fly fishers in Montana and Washington looking to cash
in on a classic mid-afternoon hatch of protein rich skwalas.
Skwala Stonefly Emerger Life Stage
During
its emerger life stage, these crawlers are most commonly found in the
medium to fast water of riffles and higher energy current seams. Prior
to and during a hatch, these large sized olive colored nymphs can also
be found in low energy backwaters, eddys, and other shallow streamside
environments. Skwala stonefly nymphs thrive among the cool,
well-oxygenated water of rocky riffles and these nymphs are most
vulnerable to trout when they are either swept up by strong currents or
when they leave their rocky homes to hatch into winged adults from the
safety of the shoreline. Their swimming ability is quite weak and these
nymphs expose themselves by making adventurous crawling trips away from
safety just before emergence and subsequent on-land hatching. Skwala
stones are an important hatch on many rivers in Montana and Washington,
and are especially prolific in the Bitterroot region of Montana.
Skwala Stonefly Adult Life Stage
After
migration to the foliage and rocks of the shoreline, skwala stoneflies
shed the remainder of their nymphal shucks and quickly find mates under
the protective cover of streamside vegetation. The fertilized females
will then fly clumsily above the water, quickly darting to the surface
to deposit eggs, making themselves easy targets for aggressive
surface-feeding trout. Males of the species do not have wings, and thus
do not fly after mating. Many of these male adults will fall from the
safety of streamside trees, weeds, and other vegetation. These
unfortunate bugs wind up in swept along with the main current and will
often collect in the slower water of eddys and along deeper cut banks.
Skwala stoneflies in their adult stage are easily spotted as they are
quite active during and after their streamside mating time. Adults of
the species can be quite large and take on a distinctive olive and
brown coloration and boast darkly colored antennae and tails as well as
large darkly colored eyes. Look for skwala stonefly adults during the
early season months of February, March, and April.
About the Tyer: Doug Swisher
Engagement
is one of the most reliable predictors of success, and for the last
several decades no one has been more engaged in the sport of fly
fishing than Doug Swisher, a man who has touched nearly every aspect of
the sport. Indeed Swisher has been instrumental in shepherding the
sport from its old-fashioned roots to the technology-centered modern
world. Over the years Doug has written volumes and volumes on the ins
and outs of fly fishing, his most famous written contribution,
“Selective Trout,” has become one of the definitive resources on
fooling finicky fish with a fly. Swisher can also be credited with
positioning himself at the center of the video revolution in modern fly
fishing instruction; he has participated heavily in the production of 7
instructional videos that have helped thousands become better anglers
on the fly. Despite all this creative activity in the writing and film
businesses, Doug has also found the time to become an accomplished fly
tyer, and many of his patterns have become standards in well-stocked
fly boxes around the globe.
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.”
