Master the Mayfly Hatch for Epic Trout Fishing with Paul Proctor

In Cumbria, we are seeing increasing numbers of mayfly year on year. Here, Paul Procter shares his hints and tips for tackling this iconic hatch.
Mayflies (Ephemera danica) are the UK’s largest upwing species and can stir emotion even in those with little knowledge of fly fishing. Their appearance in late May and early June is undoubtedly the highlight of any fly fisher’s calendar. Often referred to as Duffer’s Fortnight, this two to three-week period is when trout seemingly throw caution to the wind. It is easy to see why too, as a mayfly hatch in full swing is nothing short of mesmerising. When such a large fly appears in abundance, the odds are that every trout in the river will be lining up to take advantage. And while there are moments when trout seem almost suicidal in their feeding, a sound understanding of the mayfly’s behaviour will vastly improve your chances of success.

Lifecycle:

When Mayfly nymphs spend winter maturing in silty burrows on the streambed, they become restless in late May. Ready to hatch they ascend to the surface before emerging into the adult dun. Making their maiden flight these duns flutter towards bankside cover to seek shelter, often on the underside of broad leaves. Usually within 24 hours they undergo another transformation; the spinner. These spinners gather in the evening to mate before females return to the water to deposit their eggs. The egg clusters then sink, or adhere to vegetation, which soon hatch into tiny nymphs to repeat the lifecycle once more.

The Emerger:

At the mercy of surface tension, emerging mayflies are extremely vulnerable, as they can become stuck, or fastened to their nymphal shuck for several seconds now. Rendered immobile they’re sitting ducks for trout. What’s more, because their best part hangs beneath the surface, emergers are easy for fish to intercept. This is why emerger style patterns often out fish more full-blown dry fly.

Shop: Mayfly Emerger

The Dun:

The newly emerged adult fly is known as a “dun” (sub imago). Mayfly duns are instantly recognisable by their olive-yellowy colouration and dusky, opaque forewings. Brown in colour, their tails are approximately the same length as their abdomen. Naturally, these duns are keen to find the safety of cover after emerging, though, depending on the weather they can remain on the water surface for some time. Bright, breezy conditions harden the wings of emerged flies quickly, so they can fly that bit sooner. Damp, cold days delay the wing hardening process, keeping duns stranded at the surface for up to several minutes. Many consider such miserable weather the best when it comes to experiencing top drawer dry fly sport. 

Shop: Mayfly DUN

The Spinner

Duns undergo their moult into what we call the ‘spinner’ (imago). This stage renders the mayfly sexually mature. A brilliant, creamy colour with clear, yet black veined wings the spinners appear very different from mayfly duns. Black in colour their tails are impressively long too, approx. 3 times the body length. Spinners gather along the banks on calm evenings to mate. After mating, the females return to egg lay in open water, by landing at the surface and dipping their abdomens subsurface. Tired now the females sadly perish at the surface, often with their wings splayed out in that classic crucifix posture. Aware the spinners aren’t about to fly away, trout often gorge heavily when spinner falls occur. 

Shop: Mayfly Spent Spinner

What Tackle?

A lot depends on where you’re fishing and the type of rivers, or streams. Where open places occur, longer rods offer distinct advantages, not just for line mending, but holding fly line clear of bankside vegetation, especially on chalkstreams. Be aware, that on the whole, you’ll be casting larger, bushy creations, which are best done on 4 – 5 weight rated rods. The Guideline NT11 9’9” 4-weight or the Tactical LPX 9’9” 4-weight are both capable of handling wind resistance flies with ease. If you’re a fan of slightly shorter rods, then the NT11 9’ 4-weight or the Tactical LPX 9’ 4-weight will be right up your street.

Leader Set-up:

Of equal importance is your leader construction. Overall, a taper of some 12ft is adequate that terminates with at least a 6lb tippet; the Guideline Power Strike 12ft 4X tapered leaders are perfect for this. While 6lb might seem stout, such thickness provides more impetus to turn over wind-resistant flies and helps prevent the leader from twisting (an inherent problem with finer tippets). 

Some anglers (including myself) prefer the Guideline Power Strike 9ft tapers that conclude in 3X. A tippet ring can now be attached and then it’s a case of adding the tippet length and diameter of your choice. I generally add 2ft of approx. 7lb then a further 2ft of 6lb. The Guideline tippets are always a strong choice.

Early Days:

Because mayflies are so large compared to other insects, during the initial days of Duffer’s Fortnight, trout may feel a little intimidated by their sheer size. During this period, it’s not unusual to see fish ‘slash-out’ at adult duns with a flick of their tail. I suspect it’s an attempt to drown the duns. Now waterlogged and crumpled up, they constitute a much easier mouthful for trout. If you experience this then try using smaller than normal imitations. Most mayfly patterns are tied on size 8-10 hooks, though a size 12 that rides low will often appeal to nervous fish.

Make ‘em Float:

Understandably, mayfly fishing is all about surface sport- getting your imitations to sit perfectly on the water’s surface. That’s where floatants come in. Admittedly, there are heaps of different types out there, which can be bewildering to beginners. Here are a few pointers to keep you on track.

Personally, I’m a fan of liquids and gels, as these can be applied precisely to specific parts of your fly. For example, treating just the wing of an emerger allows only the wing to float, letting the body hang seductively below the surface. For my initial fly treatment before fishing, I use a little Guideline High N Dry (HND) liquid floatant. I apply it using my fingertips, gently massaging it in. It’s safe for CDC too, but  remember, the key is sparingly.

When reviving a sodden fly after landing a fish, I dry it with a cloth, then work it over with Guideline HND powdered floatant. The included applicator brush is excellent, especially on CDC flies. And when it’s blowing a hooley and your patterns are easily swamped, a quick blast of Guideline HND liquid spray floatant helps your fly ride high right away.

How much Lead?

Beginners often agonise over how far to lead a fish when presenting a dry fly. Cast too far ahead of a rise, and the fly may start to drag before reaching the target. Cast too close, and you risk spooking the trout. Gentle, sipping rise forms usually signal a fish holding just beneath the surface. It’s worth remembering that a trout’s window of vision narrows the closer it lies to the surface. So, for trout we can see (or suspect are lying just subsurface) only minimal lead is needed. In these cases, landing the fly just 2–3 feet ahead of the rise is often enough. However, trout holding deeper have a broader window of vision and need more time to react. In such situations, you'll want to lead them by several feet to ensure they spot and rise to your fly in time.

Look for an angle:

When presenting your mayfly upstream, aim to approach at an angle. This helps avoid ‘lining’ the fish (where your fly line passes directly over it) and ensures the trout sees your fly first. Whether you’re wading or not, this is relatively straightforward with trout holding midstream or on the far bank. In these cases, you can deliver your fly at a 30–45 degree angle. Things get trickier, though, when fish are feeding close to your nearside bank. In such situations, especially where wading is limited, your best option is a reach cast. To do this, simply lean your rod to the side during the final forward cast. This smooth sideways reach helps deliver the fly on the correct angle and avoids lining the fish.

Movers & Shakers:

Granted, it is drilled into us that our dry fly should be presented static and correspond with surface currents. However, newly emerged mayflies attempting to become airborne tend to shudder or skip and dance at the surface. This commotion is often a trigger for trout. I recall fishing a mayfly hatch in full swing some years ago. That the trout were going berserk was an understatement. Yet, I could not buy a take with a carefully presented static fly. It was not until I pulled in a yard or two of line to recast that a trout charged my fly and snapped it up. The penny finally dropped and from that moment on I juddered the rod tip to impart movement to my fly with deadly effect.

The wind really is your friend:

The large, sail-like forewing of mayflies makes them particularly susceptible to breezy weather, when wayward gusts can easily topple the duns over as they wait for their wings to harden. Many mayflies that are blown over quickly become swamped and drown.  Lifeless, they become easy pickings for trout, especially the larger specimens. Whilst we often curse the wind, a shrewd choice of fly line helps no end. With the majority of its weight in the short rear taper and a refined front taper, the Guideline WF Presentation+ (plus) delivers bulky mayfly patterns on target, even in the stiffest of breezes.

Delay the Strike:

Trout engulfing larger flies tend to do so in a slower, more deliberate manner. Admittedly, we are taught to set the hook the moment we see any sign of acceptance to our fly, which on the whole is sound advice. However, when it comes to mayfly fishing, we ought to allow trout more time to first close their mouth on the fly and turn down. It is not etched in stone, but as a rule a count of two to three works well for me.

Stay Late:

Mayfly spinners can accumulate over several days’ worth of hatches, and whilst the day in question may fail to produce an epic hatch, that does not necessarily mean a spinner fall will not occur. Warm, still evenings are your best chance, so if the breeze begins to drop and mayfly spinners are flitting upstream, then it is worth staying on until last knockings. Sometimes the best activity takes place right on dark.

Think BIG:

Often during mayfly hatches, larger trout will feed freely, giving us a good opportunity to bag a glass case specimen. With that, remember to go prepared by arming yourself with a decent-sized landing net. The Guideline Multi-Grip size Large landing net will easily accommodate the trout of your dreams. What is more, it has fish-friendly rubber mesh, so trout that are turned loose are released unharmed.

This is just one instalment in our seasonal guest blog series, so be sure to check out the others for more timely tips to improve your fishing throughout the year. For those ready to gear up, visit John Norris in-store or online. With expert advice, a hand-picked selection of top-quality tackle, and everything you need for fly fishing success, John Norris is your trusted partner this mayfly season and beyond.