Top 10 Trout Flies for October UK Rivers & Complete Hatch Guide
Posted by James on 1st Oct 2025
October on UK rivers is a seasonal pivot: olives fade, sedges sputter on, midges tick away in the margins, and trout start keying on nymphs, pupae, and the odd fry. Below you’ll find the 10 most reliable, UK centric river patterns for October, paired to the hatch stage you’re most likely to encounter. Each recipe includes sizes and links to the exact material categories on our site so you can tie straight from the list.
Upwings (Baetis olives)
Hatch: Blue-Winged Olive (BWO) & Large Dark Olive (LDO) still appear sporadically on mild days.
Pheasant Tail Nymph (nymph stage)
Origin: Frank Sawyer, Hampshire Avon, 1950s.
- Hook: size 16–18 (fine/standard wire)
- Thread: 8/0–12/0 brown
- Tail: pheasant tail fibres
- Body: pheasant tail
- Rib: fine copper wire
- Thorax: peacock herl (optional)
- Wing case: pheasant tail
- Bead: 2.0–2.5 mm brass/tungsten (optional)
Olive Klinkhamer / Parachute Olive (emerger/adult)
Origin: Klinkhåmer by Hans van Klinken (1984); parachute olive is a UK staple variation.
- Hook: size 14–18 (Klink/curved or standard dry)
- Thread: 8/0 olive or brown
- Tail/Shuck: Antron or Coq de León
- Body: olive superfine dubbing
- Post: white calf body hair or poly/para-post yarn
- Hackle: grizzle/dun cock
- Thorax: peacock herl or darker olive dubbing
Caddis (Sedge flies, incl. autumn sedges)
Hatch: Small cinnamon/grey sedges remain the safe bet in dusk windows.
October Caddis / CDC Sedge Dry (adult)
Origin: UK river adaptations of classic sedge dries; CDC sedge popularised in Europe.
- Hook: size 12–16 dry
- Thread: 8/0 tan or brown
- Body: hare’s ear / squirrel dubbing
- Wing: CDC tips or deer hair
- Hackle (optional): ginger/brown cock
- Antennae (optional): microfibre or elk hair
Partridge & Orange (soft hackle, pupa/emerger)
Origin: North Country, England (19th c.).
Midges (Chironomids)
Hatch: Tiny midges remain present all month; ideal for calm spells.
Griffith’s Gnat (adult/cluster)
Origin: George Griffith, Michigan, 1960s; widely adopted in UK.
Snipe & Purple (soft hackle)
Origin: North Country, England (classic spider).
Generalist nymphs (shrimp, mayfly, caddis—catch-all)
Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear (GRHE)
Origin: England, late 19th–early 20th c.; codified by Edmonds & Lee era tiers.
- Hook: size 14–18 nymph
- Tail: hare’s mask guard hairs
- Body: hare’s ear dubbing
- Rib: fine gold wire
- Wing case: pheasant or turkey slip
- Thorax: darker hare’s dubbing
- Bead (optional): 2.0–2.5 mm
Copper John (weighted attractor)
Origin: John Barr (USA), 1990s; excellent in UK pocket water when levels rise.
Fry / Small Fish
Food: As days shorten, trout often hunt fry in glides and tailouts.
Small Streamers — Muddler Minnow
Origin: Don Gapen (USA), 1937; adopted everywhere for fry-bashing trout.
- Hook: size 8–12 streamer/wet
- Thread: 6/0–8/0
- Tail: turkey or squirrel
- Body: gold mylar tinsel
- Rib: fine gold wire
- Wing: squirrel or deer hair
- Head: spun deer hair
Small Streamers — Black Woolly Bugger
Origin: Russell Blessing (USA), 1960s; scales down well for UK rivers.
Dark wets (searching patterns for dull light/colour)
Imitation: Suggests drowned terrestrials, dark midges, or just a bold silhouette.
Black Spider / Black Pennell
Origin: Black Spider (North Country, England); Black Pennell (H. Cholmondeley-Pennell, 1886).
Practical October Box (GB Rivers)
Nymphs: PTN (16–18), GRHE (14–18), Copper John (14–18)
Emergers/Dry Upwings: Olive Klinkhåmer / Parachute Olive (14–18)
Caddis: CDC/Deerhair Sedge (12–16), Partridge & Orange (14–18)
Spiders/Wets: Snipe & Purple (16–18), Black Spider / Pennell (12–16)
Others: Griffith’s Gnat (18–22), Small Muddler & Bugger (8–12)
Final Thoughts
October is a rewarding month to be on the river. The crowds have thinned, the colours are changing, and the trout are often in their best condition of the year. With olives still trickling off, sedges fluttering at dusk, and fry shoaling in the margins, there are plenty of opportunities for anglers willing to adapt.
By keeping a versatile selection of nymphs, spiders, emergers, and small streamers, you’ll be ready for almost any situation the autumn river presents. Presentation matters more than ever at this time of year, but with the right flies and a thoughtful approach, October sessions can be some of the most memorable of the season.
All of the tying materials listed above are available in our online shop. Stock up, tie a few new patterns, and make sure your October fly box is ready for the last great fishing days before winter sets in.
Tight lines this autumn, and happy tying. ??