The hatch chart · Terrestrial
Crane flies
Tipulidae
- Natural’s size
- Hook 10 long shank
- Time of day
- Breezy days, late summer into autumn
- At its peak
- August, September
- Fly to try
- Daddy Long Legs, size 10
The year
- JJanuary: not expected
- FFebruary: not expected
- MMarch: not expected
- AApril: not expected
- MMay: not expected
- JJune: some about
- JJuly: some about
- AAugust: main hatch
- SSeptember: main hatch
- OOctober: some about
- NNovember: not expected
- DDecember: not expected
In the hand
The daddy long legs: a thin grey-brown body of 15–25 mm, two narrow wings and six absurdly long, fragile legs that trail behind in flight. Clumsy fliers that are easily blown about.
On the river
Hatch from damp grassland in late summer and autumn. On the water they struggle and trail their legs, and are taken with a slow, deliberate rise. Give the fish time to turn down before lifting.