Falling for spinners: The final stage of the mayfly life cycle can offer big dividends

Falling for spinners explains how the final stage of the mayfly life cycle shapes trout feeding, with the spinner emerging from the dun and mating before returning to the water to lay eggs. The spinner fall, most noticeable in spring and summer, prompts anglers to tie imitation patterns like the Rusty Spinner, typically sized 12 to 18 with rusty thread and frosty wings. The technique favors drifting the imitation with no drag to mimic a free-floating insect. The author notes a successful catch using a Rusty Spinner on a brown trout and highlights that spinners can imitate various mayflies.