When does the February Red hatch?

February–April, typically 11:00–15:00. It starts from about 5°C, peaks around 8°C and tails off by 13°C.

What flies imitate the February Red?

Snipe & Purple, Coch-y-bonddu, typically on a #14–12 hook.

How big is the February Red?

Adult stage: 8–11mm. That matches a #14–12 hook.

Stonefly · Aquatic insect

February Red

Taeniopteryx nebulosa

Size

8–11mm

Hook size

#14–12

Hatch window

Season February–AprilPeak time 11:00–15:00

Water temperature

8° peak

5°13°

How fish feed on it

One of the first insects of the year, and a welcome sight for that alone. As with all the stoneflies the emergence happens ashore, so what you are fishing is the returning female laying on the water — on the mild, still afternoons that punctuate late winter, and not much else.

Flies that imitate this

Snipe & Purple

Coch-y-bonddu

Ecology

Rivers & stillwater

Where you'll find this

British IslesCommon
The AlpsCommon
ScandinaviaCommon
Atlantic fringeCommon
Continental EuropeOccasional
IberiaScarce

Common Occasional