March Brown Wet
Classic streamer tied in the Bergman fashion. It features wing slips made from hen pheasant feathers with gold ribbed body made from a mix of gray and brown dubbing. Turkey slip feathers are a popular alternative to the hen pheasant. hare's mask dubbing is specified, but any fur based dubbing would work.
- Source: Ray Bergman
- Submitted By: Fly Tying Guide
Materials
1
Place the hook in the vise and secure the thread behind the eye. Cover the hook shank with thread to the start of the bend, opposite the barb.
2
Prepare the tail by aligning the tips and plucking 5 or 6 fibers from a partridge feather. Measure the tail to be one hook shank in length and tie in at the start of the bend. End with the thread near the middle of the hook shank.
3
Secure a piece of tinsel to the top of the hook shank. Continue taking wraps to the start of the bend. End with the thread at the start of the bend, opposite the barb.
4
Form a dubbing rope and then create an even body along the hook shank that ends about two eye lengths back from the eye of the hook.
5
Counter wrap the ribbing material along the body to create a segmented look, tie off in front of body and cover the tag end with thread.
6
Prepare a partridge feather by removing the fluff and stroking the longer feather fibers back from the tip. Catch in the tip of the feather with the back, or dull side, of the feather away from you, secure and then snip off the excess.
7
Prepare for the next steps by wetting your fingers and stroking the feather fibers towards the back of the fly, dull sides together.
8
Take one to one and a half turns and then secure and snip off any excess. The hackle should be sparse.
9
Prepare the slip wing by clipping two sections of wing fibers from a matched pair of hen pheasant wing quills. The quill segments should be one hook gap in width and be long enough to extend past the bend of the hook slightly once secured.
10
Align the tips of the quill slips so that they curve together, dull sides together. The tips of the quills should sweep upwards. Measure the wing so that it is the length of the entire hook, including the bend.
11
Position the wings on top of the hook, pinched tightly in your off hand take one pinch wrap over the fibers but do not release the pinch. Let go of the bobbin and pinch the tag ends of the wing fibers with your primary hand.
12
While pinching both sides of the feather firmly, allow the weight of the bobbin to compress the fibers on top of the hook shank. Do not release pressure on the off hand against the fibers.
13
Use your primary hand to take a couple more securing wraps in front of the initial wrap, do not take wraps behind the initial wrap or the wing will distort.
14
Snip the excess and cover the butt ends.
15
Whip finish and apply head cement. The Bergman flies traditionally have a prominent shiny head that helps give the flies their distinctive look.