The Complete Fly Tying Recipe Library

The Brown Drake is a large mayfly imitation associated primarily with Ephemera simulans, an important hatch on many trout waters in the Midwest, Great Lakes region, and parts of the West. Brown Drakes usually emerge around dusk during late spring or early summer, often from slower sections with sandy or silty bottoms. The hatch can bring large trout to the surface, but the best fishing frequently occurs during the heavy spinner falls that follow. Patterns are commonly tied in sizes 8 through 12, with nymphs and emergers effective before dark and duns or spinners productive once surface feeding begins. Because much of the activity occurs in fading light, a visible pattern, heavier tippet, and careful attention to timing can be more important than an exact color match.