In May on the rivers, you will find large dark olive hatches will start to drop off to be replaced by other upwing flies such as iron blue duns, mayflies and medium olives. The mayflies should start to hatch towards the end of the month and into June. Stoneflies will be hatching alongside alders and a few sedges. Expect to see the hawthorn hatch continue as they stumble onto the water, with the arrival of black gnats too.

Pond and lake olives should start to hatch with increasing frequency on stillwaters. Caddis flies should be emerging too in lakes too. On warmer days there will be large hatches of damsel flies, especially around the margins. There should be hatches of mayfly towards the end of May where the species is present but they are not that common on lakes.As far as terrestrials go, expect to see hawthorn flies finding their way on to the water as well as lots of beetles tumbling from the bushes.

Overall May is one of the best months for hatches, only surpassed by June in my neck of the woods.

Chris.