Ask MidCurrent: How Do You Fish a Sulfur Spinner Fall?
Sulfur duns (like this one) get all the press, but spinners provide technical dry-fly opportunities on summer evenings. Photo: Ted Fauceglia
Question: I’ve caught lots of trout during sulfur hatches, but I haven’t quite figured out the spinner falls. What’s the secret?
—Matt L., Bloomsburg, PA (via the Ask MidCurrent form)
Answer: Fishing a sulfur spinner fall can be very productive, especially during the peak summer months. As daylight fades into twilight, these delicate mayflies complete their lifecycle in a graceful display that sends trout into a quiet feeding frenzy. Here’s how to make the most of it.
Understanding the Spinner Fall
To effectively fish a sulfur spinner fall, you need to understand the mayfly life cycle. Most sulfurs belong to the genera Ephemerella and Epeorus. After hatching, the duns (also known as imagoes or subadults) spend one to two days on streamside vegetation, during which they molt into adults or “spinners.” You can identify these adults by their transparent wings, large reddish eyes, and extended tails.
Spinner falls bring even large trout to the surface to feast on easy meals. Photo: Bill Bullock
Their final act is to take to the air above the stream at dusk to mate, often forming clouds of mayflies that seem to dance in the air. The females drop to the water’s surface to deposit their eggs, and the males follow. Both males and females die and drift helplessly on the surface—anglers call these “spent spinners”—providing trout with an easy and predictable meal, which they capitalize on with subtle, methodical rises.
Sulfur spinner falls usually occur at dusk during calm, warm evenings, with peak activity often happening in the last hour of daylight into darkness. The ideal window is typically brief—sometimes lasting just 30-60 minutes—so be ready well before the action begins. Plan to be on the water, rigged and observing, at least an hour before dusk.
Additionally, weather plays a critical role. Calm, windless evenings are best. Any significant wind can scatter the spent flies, reducing surface activity. Cool or rainy conditions can delay or even cancel the spinner fall, while consistent warm weather usually ensures a strong nightly event.
Presentation Strategies
Sulfur spinners typically congregate in gentle currents, seams, flats, eddies, and the tails of pools. Trout will line up in feeding lanes where the current gathers the floating spinners, enabling an easy meal with minimal energy expenditure. Look for subtle rises or gentle sipping action, as trout rarely make splashy rises during spinner falls. Position yourself downstream or slightly across from rising trout to present your fly with minimal line disturbance.
Trout feeding on spinners are selective and cautious, and the key to success is often a delicate presentation: Absolute drag-free drifts are essential when fishing spinner falls. Because spent spinners are dead or dying, they make no disturbance on the surface, so even the slightest unnatural movement of your fly can alert wary trout. Using a long, light leader (12-15 feet, tapering down to 6X or even 7X tippet) will help you achieve a good dead drift.
Because you’re often fishing in flat or shallow water, stealth is very important. Dress in subdued clothing, and try not to throw a wake when you’re wading into a new position. Spinner falls often occur in low, flat light conditions, so silhouette and reflection awareness are critical. Crouch or kneel if necessary to reduce your profile.
Superfine Sulphur Spinner
Hook: Your favorite dry-fly hook (here, a Fulling Mill 5050), size 14-16.
Thread: Rusty Brown, 6/0 or 70-denier.
Tails: Wood-duck flank-feather fibers.
Abdomen: Pale yellow Superfine dubbing.
Wing: White polypropylene floating yarn.
Thorax: Amber Superfine dubbing.
Head: Tying thread.
Adhesive: Head cement (here, Sally Hansen Hard-as-Nails).
Tools: Fine-tipped bodkin, whip-finish tool.
Gear and Fly Patterns
To effectively fish a spinner fall, use a light, sensitive fly rod—such as a 3- to 5-weight rod with a medium to medium-fast action—and a floating fly line suited to gentle presentations, such as a double taper. This combination provides delicacy and precise control.
Sulfur spinners range from size 14 to 18, with size 16 being most common. Their bodies are usually pale yellow to rusty brown or reddish-brown. Patterns that lie flush in the surface film, imitating the spent-wing posture, perform best. Carry spinner patterns in multiple sizes and slight variations in color, as subtle shifts in size or color can make a significant difference when fish are selective.
Clockwise from upper left: Rusty Spinner, Polywing Spinner, and CDC Biot Spinner.
The Rusty Spinner is a classic and universally effective pattern. Its effectiveness comes from its slim profile, sparse hackle, and spent wings made of polypropylene yarn or CDC feathers.
This modern twist incorporates biot bodies for realistic segmentation and CDC wings for subtle movement and buoyancy. This pattern excels in tricky, slow-water scenarios.
The white or pale wing post make this fly it a top choice during fading light conditions. Its flush body profile matches the naturals perfectly.
Fishing flat water at dusk means wading into position early and using a headlamp to help change flies. Photo: Phil Monahan
Night-Fishing Considerations
Because spinner falls often extend into dusk and darkness, be prepared for low-light conditions. Carry a headlamp with a red or dim white setting to preserve night vision and minimize disruption. If possible, pre-rig multiple leaders and spinner patterns so you can easily change flies in low light. And don’t wade into any spot that will be difficult to get out of in the dark.
Trout feeding on spinners take their prey subtly, often just barely breaking the water’s surface or dimpling the film. Vigilance is key: watch carefully for subtle disturbances or the brief flash of a mouth beneath your fly. Minimize the amount of slack line on the water and be ready to react immediately with a gentle lift rather than an aggressive hook set, ensuring secure hookups without spooking nearby fish.
Fishing a sulfur spinner fall embodies the essence of dry-fly fishing—delicate, precise, challenging, and rewarding. The hushed tranquility of the river at dusk, broken only by the quiet sipping of trout, can focus all your senses on the task at hand. By carefully understanding timing, selecting the right patterns, perfecting your presentation, and maintaining stealth, you’ll be well-equipped to turn subtle rises into hookups.
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