The "Winter Brown"

Robert L. Smith photo

The Winter Brown, a North Country Fly that dates back to 1817. I came across this pattern while reading the book "The North Country Fly". It boasts of simplicity and ability. One only need look at it to see it's potential as a fish taker. In the book it's told by John Swarbrick dated Nov.30, 1817.....N0.1 Winter Brown...

The fly represents the little stone flies you see along the stream edges on rocks and in the air. In Swarbrick's description he states the a body of red silk, but most of the patterns are tied using orange silk and this is how I tied the fly.

The "Winter Brown"....Fine wire #14 hook, Pearsall's Orange Silk body, brown back feather from a partridge, peacock herl head.

The look of this fly is some what different when wet and is pretty effective as you will see in my next post.