I want to offer yet another heavy weight nymph pattern that almost mirrors the light version done a while back. In fact, I am going to cut to the chase and have you go back and review the light versions recipe (http://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7020). I will pick up at "Body" because that is the only ingredient that changes from light to dark nymphs.....on my version that is! It is a pattern that compliments the light version quite well and again, does not immitate any nymph in particular. It is surprising how the fish zero in on this pattern in dark waters (either muddy or simply summer time algae green)! It is quite possible the fish hone in on the movement or pulsing of the fly with a generous partridge hackle collar and alot of fur fibers radiating outwardly from the hook shank all along its length! What's your thoughts on this??
Number four in a series......
March Brown Heavy Weight Nymph - Dark Version
Body: Cottontail rabbit face fur from the top of the head (including the pole) to the nose! Sometimes, because the hares ear fur on a cottontails ear is not quite as thick and full as it is on its European cousin, the trimmings from inside the ear get thrown in the mix too! This fur mix gets chopped to appx. 1/4" to 3/8" in length, Shaner-ized, dried and then tossed into my fur blender (coffee grinder) for "homogenization". This last step is a must. It really kicks up and mixes the fur to just the right blend! The resulting mix is a very dark, grayish black, and rather spikey fur blend that is quite soft to the touch!
Side note: It is perfectly o.k. to put a gold wire rib to this pattern to add some extra flash. I have done this before and no matter how I weave and juke and jive the wire, it still matts down a few fibers. Chalk that up to inexperience on my part. I simply like the look of the pattern without it and it seems to matter not to my little darlings in our still waters! I would like to hear your opinions on this both yea or nea!
I hope you enjoy this fly and all it's trappings, (pictures of fish taken on any of these patterns would be great!!)
Dougsden
Here is John Shaner's description of the water blending merhod for dubbing:
Greenwell wrote:"Using the water blending method for making dubbing. Place fur in a jar, with a bit of hot water and Dawn dish soap, shake, and rinse in a collander. Rinse again in a jar with a dab of hair conditioner."
Don't use Dawn (or any other soap) when water blending!!!!! It will make a sudsy mess!
I use about a teaspoon of HAIR CONDITIONER. This will act as a surfactant, allowing the fur to blend easily, and it also conditions the fur.
To water blend fur: For small quantities of fur, use a pint jar with a screw on lid. Fill the jar about half full with warm tap water, put in the fur, about a teaspoon of Crème Rinse type Hair Conditioner, and the fur to be blended. Screw on the lid and shake the jar for about 30 seconds. Pour the contents into a fine mesh strainer, I use a tea strainer I bought in the Dollar Store, and leaving the fur in the strainer, rinse well under warm running water. Squeeze fur dry and then allow to dry completely on layers of newspaper or paper towels. Make sure it's totally dry before packaging.
I wash feathers in Dawn before dying to clean and remove any oils, dirt, or possible bugs. In fact, any dirty, oily, etc. feathers or fur can be washed in Dawn in a large bowl, drained, rinsed in a colander, and dried. Don't wash on the skin, pluck out the feathers first.
