dryflie wrote:
Commonly called Sulfurs we see these flies on the West Branch in June but only for a week or two. Size and color are critical for any success.
Sulphur s are such a conglomeration of different Mayflies that it’s difficult——-sometimes——- to see which Sulphur you’re actually imitating.
There are yellow Sulphurs that have an orangish tint to the body. There are Sulphur that have a greenish olive tint to the yellow body. And there are Sulphurs that have a straight yellowish abdomen.
And.......I’ve found trout to be very particular when trying to imitate each. I frequently hear some flufishers say “ Color doesn’t mean ####”. It’s all about presentation. I MO, presentation is key, but sometimes body color does come into play. Perhaps that’s why I carry Sulphurs in three different body colors.......and in sizes 16 to 20.
A good buddy of mine is partially color blind, and every year on the Spring Creeks he’d give me his Sulphur box, and I’d have to re-arrange his flies, as he had orangish ones mixed in with greenish olive ones and yellowish ones mixed in with the other two......
And he absolutely couldn’t tell the difference........but the trout could.
As to the Pale Evening Duns.......fish the Missouri some July evening, and you’ll swear by that fly forever, fwiw.
Dave M
PS.......For the Shawmut Cornutas they start out almost a chartreuse color ( hence the yellow), but almost immediately turn Olive.......so I always imitated them with a #14 BWO Sparkle Dun ( olive body), and cleaned up.