Dry FliesAntonio's Mayfly Adult

An ultra-realistic dry fly pattern designed to imitate adult mayflies in flat water or spring creeks. Antonio's Mayfly Adult uses CDC, biots, and realistic wing materials to float delicately while mimicking the silhouette and posture of a freshly hatched mayfly.

Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Difficulty
Beginner
Target Species
Trout
Antonio's Mayfly Adult - Image source: The Fly Fisherman
Image source: The Fly Fisherman

Overview

Antonio's Mayfly Adult is a hyper-realistic dry fly designed to imitate adult mayflies during a hatch. It features an extended body constructed from dyed foam or a tapered synthetic material, often ribbed for segmentation. The wings are upright and typically made from poly yarn or CDC to mimic the natural mayfly profile. The thorax is dubbed lightly and may include a sparse hackle or no hackle at all to maintain a delicate silhouette. This pattern is carefully balanced to float flush in the surface film and works best in calm water during heavy hatches when fish are keyed in on exact profiles.

Pattern Characteristics

Beginner Difficulty
Trout
Moving Water
Spring
Summer
Fall
Imitates: Mayfly Adults

Materials

Hook: #12-18 Tiemco 900-BL or 100SP-BL
Thread: Gray 18/0 Semperfli Nano Silk
Tail: Coq de León rooster saddle fibers
Rib: Extra-small copper wire or copper Krystal Flash
Abdomen & Thorax: CDC fiber dubbing
Sighter: Fire orange Fluoro Fibre
Wing: Natural gray CDC fibers

Fishing Tips

Season

Spring, Summer, Fall

Presentation

Dead drift with no drag on calm water

When to Use

During mayfly hatches when trout are keyed in on adults

Water Type

Stillwater, Moving Water

Rigging Suggestions

Fish solo on long, fine tippet (5X–7X)

Visibility & Floatation

Floats low and delicately; CDC and hackle provide lift; resin head improves durability without affecting floatation