Howard Cole started fly fishing over 35 years ago and has been tying flies nearly as long. He has tied flies at numerous events including the Federation of Fly Fishermen Conclave and the Eastern Idaho Fly Tying Expo. Some of his original flies have been published in books like Emergers and Flies of the West. He currently lives with his wife and daughter in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and where he is co-owner of High Country Flies.

Cole says: “Living in the Yellowstone Area, I never take for granted having one of the world’s most diverse trout fisheries right in my backyard. The plain truth is: Trout live in the most beautiful places. Simply observing the subtle rings left by a rising fish, rouses the same emotion that I had when I first came to this sport.”
Please take a look at Howard's site: http://www.flyfishingjacksonhole.com for trips, gear, and info as well as flies and fly tying materials.

Recipe:

• Hook: Tiemco 900BL #12 & #14
• Thread: Uni-Thread 8/0 Gray
• Tail: Micro-Fibetts Brown or Dark Dun
• Underbody: Gray Thread
• Body: Flexi-Floss Brown or Super Floss Brown
• Wing: Teal Flank Fibers
• Hackle: Sadddle or Cape Hackle Cree

An aspect that makes this fly unique is how the body is formed. Make a smooth tapered Underbody with the Gray Thread. Then over the top, Palmer the Flexi-Floss forward evenly and leave a space between each wrap. This will present a ribbed effect from the Gray Thread, giving the body segmented look. Though Western March Browns (also referred to as Rhithrogena or Rhiths) are the first large mayfly of the season, they are a fickle insect. A lot of our western waters have this mayfly, but some years the hatch can be insignificant while others years quite memorable. Year after year the Bitterroot, Clark Fork, and Yakima normally have consistent hatches. Commonly this mayfly is found in faster sections of rivers and streams. Also, generally it takes awhile for the fish to turn on to the adults but once they do they can really key in on this insect.