Dry fly
Kakahi Queen
Classic NZ mayfly dry
TroutSurface
A storied New Zealand mayfly dry, traditionally tied to the larger NZ duns and spinners and a fixture of the evening rise on the central North Island and beyond. Named for the Kakahi water on the Whanganui.
Fish this when
On the evening spinner fall and to fish rising to the larger mayflies, especially through summer dusk. A good change-up from the Twilight Beauty when fish want a fuller silhouette.
Why it works
Its hackled, upright profile sits well on broken and glassy water alike and matches the bigger NZ duns and spinners that the smaller Deleatidium imitations miss.
Naturals it imitates
NZ mayfly spinner / dun (Coloburiscus, Ichthybotus)
Typical zone & fishable range
usually
Surface
Film
Subsurface
Deep
Setup sensitivity: medium