Green Drake

The Green Drake (Drunella grandis) is the heavyweight champion of the mayfly world. These massive insects (size #8-12) represent a huge caloric payoff for trout. The hatch is famous not just for the size of the fly, but for the size of the fish it moves. It is often a 'travelling' hatch, moving upstream day by day as water temperatures hit the perfect window.

The Green Drake requires pristine, cold water. They inhabit fast, rocky riffles and runs in mountain freestone rivers. The large nymphs are crawlers that cling to the undersides of cobble-sized rocks.

This is a 'boom and bust' hatch. Green Drakes often hatch in waves, migrating upstream over several weeks. The duns are clumsy fliers and often struggle on the water. The Coffin Fly (spinner) fall at dusk is a chaotic event that brings the largest trout to the surface.

Seasonality Short, intense window: Late June to mid-July.

Tactics Go Big. Use extended body patterns to match the silhouette. Don't be afraid to twitch the fly; these large insects create a disturbance on the water.

Highly sensitive. Green Drakes are an indicator species for excellent water quality. They are vulnerable to water temperature increases and pollution.