Adult mayfly patterns keep me busy throughout the year, primarily because there are so many variables to consider. Still, my primary goal is proper landings, especially on smaller sizes like these #20s, as seen in the photo above. Often, you will see adult mayfly patterns tied with very defined, uniform, dense hackle collars very close to the hook eye. The late, great Vincent Marinaro made it his life's work to break the rules in traditional hackling techniques on mayfly patterns. One aspect he discusses in his book, “In the Ring of the Rise,” is tying the hackle to splay both backward and forward, like the legs on the natural.   Not only does this mimic the mayfly legs, but it also adds significant stability to the fly on the water. There are a few ways to achieve this consistently. What I have found over the last 35 years, since reading Marinaro's books, is that it's the foundation under the hackle that makes the difference in how I want it positioned. Creating a...