The Trico hatch is nearly done, but it’s not done. On calm October mornings — especially in the first week or two — you can still find the tail end of this hatch, and the fish know it. They’ve been eating #20–24 dries all summer, and the ones still rising are worth your early alarm.
Be there early
Trico spinner falls happen at first light and they’re done by mid-morning. Plan to be on the water and in position before the sun hits the riffles. The window is short — an hour, maybe two — and it shuts down fast once the air warms.
Read the weather
Calm days are everything. Wind kills this game; a slick, glassy morning on a flat or tailout is the setup. Cool October mornings can also slow the hatch down — watch for spinner falls to start a little later than they did in August.
The right flies
Spinner patterns in #20–24 are the standard play — white or gray spinner wings over black or rusty bodies. Carry them in a few shades; when the fish get picky, a change in color matters more than a change in size. If nothing’s visibly happening, don’t bother — this is a visual game.
Fish the feeders
Look for pods of fish in flat, slow water: tailouts, eddies, back channels. These are the places Trico spinners collect, and the fish that hold there in October are there specifically for this hatch. Move slowly and wade gently — you’re fishing to fish you can see.
The Tricos won’t wait for you, and October won’t either. This is the last call on morning dry-fly fishing for the season — a couple of hours of delicate dries before the day switches over to BWOs and nymphs. It’s worth the alarm.
