How to Tie the March Brown Emerger Fly Pattern

Learn how to tie the March Brown Emerger pattern, including step-by-step instructions, a video tutorial, pictures, and much more. Improve your fly-tying skills here.

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The March Brown Emerger is a low-floating fly that has proven to be a reliable choice for fly anglers looking to catch trout during the emergence of mayflies. Its simple yet effective design makes it easy to tie, making it a great pattern for novice and experienced fly tiers alike.

Material List

• Hook: TMC 200R size 14
• Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0 in Dark Brown
• Shuck: Antron Yarn in Golden Tan
• Body: Hareline Showshoe Rabbit Dubbing in Tan
• Wing: Hairline Deer Hair Natural

Step One

Secure your thread with a jam knot roughly one eye's length behind the eye. Then wrap your thread all the way to the hook point and trim the excess.

Step Two

Now bring your thread back to the initial tie-in point and grab some Antron. Tie the Antron in on top of the hook shank where you started your thread, and then wrap rearward--this creates an even underbody while also forming the tail of your fly. Trim the tail to be roughly half of the length of the hook shank.

Step Three

Apply Snowshoe Rabbit Dubbing to your thread and wrap the body until you're roughly two eye lengths behind the hook's eye.

Step Four

Grab a bunch of deer hair that's about one-third of the width of a pencil. Be sure to clean out the underfur before stacking the hair in a hair stacker. Once the tips have been evened, measure the wing to be about the length of the hook's shank, and tie it in on top of the shank--be sure to use solid thread pressure when tying in the wing, as the flared stub ends will create the head of this fly.

Step Five

Jump the thread forward behind the hook's eye--it's easiest to do this by manipulating the thread on the underside of the hook shank--and take a few wraps before finishing the fly with a whip finish.

Step Seven

Trim the thread and add just a bit of head cement.

The March Brown Emerger is now finished and ready for the next hatch of bugs that you get into.