The hatch chart · Mayfly
Mayfly
Ephemera danica
- Natural’s size
- Hook 8–10 long shank
- Time of day
- Afternoon duns, evening spinners
- At its peak
- May, June
- Fly to try
- Grey Wulff, size 10; Rusty Spinner at dusk
The year
- JJanuary: not expected
- FFebruary: not expected
- MMarch: not expected
- AApril: not expected
- MMay: main hatch
- JJune: main hatch
- JJuly: some about
- AAugust: not expected
- SSeptember: not expected
- OOctober: not expected
- NNovember: not expected
- DDecember: not expected
In the hand
The largest upwinged fly of all: body up to 20 mm, three long tails, cream abdomen with dark brown blotches and heavily veined grey-green wings. The spinner has glassy wings and a chalk-white body, and dies spread-eagled on the water.
On the river
The burrowing nymph lives two years in silt and fine gravel. Hatches peak from late May into early June on alkaline rivers and lakes; the evening spinner fall is often the better fishing.