rusty spinners

[goose]

What mayflies have rusty spinners? Is there a list of them. Not all spinners are rusty colored. This confuses me. This year one night while fishing sulphurs I was getting a lot of rejections. I looked closely at the water and there was a rusty spinner on the water. Of course I had none with me.
Thanks,
Bruce

 

[flyI4]

sometimes switching between rusty's that have different wing types can be the difference. Poly yarn wings are easiest to see in low light situations ,but when they are being tough hackled wing rusty's tend to work a little better. If its getting dark and they are still being selective, Ill fish a bigger white cdc sulpher and tie a sparse winged rusty spinner off the back(15 inches or so). It works really well and you sometimes get surprised when they take the bigger fly. In terms of color, I dont think it matters that much during the late evening spinner falls ,but have seen them get pickier during the day. Having darker maroon spinners and lighter pinkish spinners can work in certain situations. S[ent wing caddis are also a clutch pattern to have in tougher conditions.

 

[redietz]

What mayflies have rusty spinners? Is there a list of them. Not all spinners are rusty colored. This confuses me. This year one night while fishing sulphurs I was getting a lot of rejections. I looked closely at the water and there was a rusty spinner on the water. Of course I had none with me.
Thanks,
Bruce

I don't know if anyone has compiled a list per se, but as you noted, sulfurs do, and so do Hendricksons. The spinner of the iso (aka "white gloved howdy") also has a reddish tinge. but a bit darker. Some olive spinners look a bit reddish. With just those four, you've covered much of the year. And even if the insect itself doesn't look red when held under a white light, because spinner falls often happen at dusk, a clear bodied spinner may take on a rusty color when seen against the backdrop of the setting sun. Rusty spinners are always worth carrying, as are their wet fly equivalent, the partridge and orange.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Most all mayflies here in the East become rusty spinners so they are a must have in any fly angler's box. I tie them from size 22 up to size 8. Make sure you tie the bodies skinnier and longer than you would for the dun. I like sparse wings, but going too sparse can cause problems with sinking if you are trying to use them as dries. Fish know instinctively to eat spinners because they are a guaranteed meal - they aren't going to suddenly fly away once they fall spent on the water. If you are getting lots of refusals, make sure you are 100% drag free on your drifts and then switch to a smaller fly. If that doesn't work or it is getting dark, try the opposite and go 2 or 3 sizes larger than the naturals that are on the water.