As we enter the final week of May, fly activity remains abundant across the UK and Ireland. While this month has seen a mix of extremes, from early sunshine and rising water temperatures to brief spells of overcast relief, conditions have kept anglers on their toes. The real skill has been in reading the water and adapting to changing behaviour.
Despite these fluctuations, some flies have stood out all month long.
At the top of the chart, The Grey Wulff, Black Midge Klinkhammer and Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear, remained strong players throughout April and May, and for good reason. These 3 combined are go-to killers. The Grey Wulff, often considered a Mayfly pattern, works well during caddis hatches and makes a wonderful dry fly, while the Black Midge Klinkhammer, particularly with a dropper tippet ring, excels during midge hatches but also serves beautifully in a washing-line setup, allowing anglers to suspend nymphs or emergers beneath it, such as our various Gold Head patterns, great if fish are retreating from warm water conditions.
Be sure to explore and experiment with our members favourites below:
Ranking #1 & #2
Ranking #3 & #4
Ranking #5 & #6
Ranking #7 & #8
Ranking #9 & #10