Almanac for 2026 · No. 10 · Autumn, October

Curamenti

A slow almanac of the fly rod

The hatch chart · Mayfly

Large Dark Olive

Baetis rhodani

Fig. An upwinged fly (Ephemeroptera): wings held upright, two or three long tails.
Natural’s size
Hook 14–16
Time of day
Midday, best on cold grey days
At its peak
March, April, October
Fly to try
Adams or CDC F-Fly, size 14–16

The year

  1. JJanuary: not expected
  2. FFebruary: some about
  3. MMarch: main hatch
  4. AApril: main hatch
  5. MMay: some about
  6. JJune: not expected
  7. JJuly: not expected
  8. AAugust: not expected
  9. SSeptember: some about
  10. OOctober: main hatch
  11. NNovember: some about
  12. DDecember: not expected

In the hand

A sturdy upwinged fly about 9 mm long with two tails. Dull grey wings held upright, body a dark olive-brown, paler underneath. The tiny hindwing is easy to miss. On a cold day the duns ride the water for a long way before they can fly.

On the river

Hatches in open water from riffles and runs, usually in a short burst between noon and two. The first proper dry-fly chance of the year and often the last.

Flies that match it

Adams

Dry · hook 12–18

Kite’s Imperial

Dry · hook 14–16

CDC F-Fly

Dry · hook 14–20

Pheasant Tail Nymph

Nymph · hook 12–18

Waterhen Bloa

Wet · hook 14–16