Dry fly
Quill Gordon
Catskill early-spring dun
TroutSurface
One of the first big mayflies of the eastern spring — Epeorus pleuralis — hatching while the water is still cold and the trout are looking up for the first time in months. A classic Catskill dun with a quill body and dark dun wings, dressed to ride the broken water it emerges in.
Fish this when
Early-to-mid spring on eastern freestone rivers, water around 50°F, usually midday in the warmest part of an overcast day. Fish it through riffles and pocket water at the heads of pools.
Why it works
Epeorus duns emerge underwater and drift up to the surface, so a high-floating quill dun in the broken water at the head of a pool sits exactly where trout expect them after a long cold winter.
Naturals it imitates
early dark mayfly dun (Epeorus pleuralis)
Typical zone & fishable range
usually
Surface
Film
Subsurface
Deep
Setup sensitivity: medium
Quick facts
Tying difficulty
Intermediate