March Brown or Heptigenia Nymph

Pattern for the March Brown or Heptigenia nymph

Hook- size 14-16 2xl (I used a partridge H3ST which is the Draper Nymph Hook. If you use that hook, you do not need the lead on the sides) Lead strips tied onto sides of hook to widen the look 
thread brown or tan
Swiss Straw, Brown for head
Mono eyes
pheasant tail fibers 3
Grouse tail feather for back, sprayed with Fixatif rib of small copper wire
Grouse body feather, head cement and draw fibers between fingers to draw together for wing case
Abdomen, Tan Osterich herl legs, small feathers from the shoulder of a grouse wing, or the head of the grouse or Partridge

1. Attach thread to front 1/3 of hook.
2. Cut a 1 inch piece of brown raffia and split in half lengthwise. Open fully and bunch end to be tied to hook. Tie down working thread toward the eye of the hook, pull open the swiss straw and pull down so it will stretch over the eyes later.
3. Tie in mono eyes right behind the hook eye. (Later, the swiss straw will be pulled over the eyes)
4. Tie in strips of lead on each side of the hook, cover thoroughly with thread and then head cement. (If you are using the Partridge H3ST you do not need the lead). As you wrap the thread, build up the shoulder of the fly and wrap thoroughly around the mono eyes to build them up. This will help form the wide flat look of the clinger nymph.
5. Build a bump of thread at the tail. Hold 3 pheasant tail fibers on top and tie in as a tail. Split the tails widely, using thread between them if needed.
6. Cut a sliver about 1/16th inch wide from a Grouse tail that has been sprayed with fixatif. Tie in on top so it extends over the tails.
7. Tie in a small piece of copper wire on the bottom of the hook, extending backwards. Wrap thread back almost to tail. Add head cement to body.
8. Take 2 tan osterich herls, tie in on top, wrap thread back to stopping point for copper .
9. Twist the herl around the thread tightly, with the herl fluffing out. Wrap one full wrap behind the copper wire and then wrap forward thickly to just past the halfway point of the body. Tie off and trim excess.
10. Pull sprayed grouse feather strip over back and tie down.
11. Wrap copper rib in the opposite direction you wrapped the herl to tie down the herl and the sprayed grouse strip. Trim excess, wrap well and add a touch of cement.
12. Take the grouse body feather that has been head cemented and stroked into an elongated oval shape, and tie it in butt toward the eye. The tie in point should be where the width of the feather matches the body of the fly.
13. Tie on a small feather from the shoulder of a grouse wing (or from the head of a grouse or Partridge) in the Art Flick Hendrickson nymph technique. Fold forward and tie down.
14. Pull the wing case over the wing feather that is forming the legs and tie in. Trim excess that hangs over eye.
15. Pull the Swiss Straw over the mono eyes so they are covered completely. Wrap down swiss straw behind the eyes. Whip finish in the same spot, trim raffia and add more cement.

You know I thought this was a fairly simple tie until I tried to describe it!!

Michael Fisher (MFISHER@DGS.dgsys.com)