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Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Rusty Spinner showing split tails, slender rusty body, flat outstretched wings, low spent-adult profileIllustrated reference

Dry · guide 34

Rusty Spinner

A spent-wing mayfly pattern with a rust-brown body, divided tails, and flat outstretched wings.

Common size
#12–18, matched to naturals
Common colors
rust brown, pale spent wings
Imitates
spent adult mayfly, spinner fall
How to recognize it

Split tails, a slender rusty body, and flat spent wings form the identifying spinner silhouette. Foam-backed and sunken versions are labeled variants.

Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Rusty Spinner showing split tails, slender rusty body, flat outstretched wings, low spent-adult profile
Illustrated reference

Rusty Spinner reviewed side profile

A schematic profile emphasizing split tails and slender rusty body.

View
reviewed side profile
Color shown
rust-brown body with pale spent wings
Look for
split tails; slender rusty body; flat outstretched wings; low spent-adult profile
Open full-size image ↗

On the water

Know when and how to fish it.

Use these tips as a starting point. The river, depth, insects, and fish behavior still decide the final presentation.

01

When to use it

  • During a verified spinner fall.
  • When trout take motionless spent mayflies in the film.
02

How to fish it

  • Dead-drift flat in the film.
  • Track it with a nearby visible dry.
03

Mistakes to avoid

  • Fishing it like an upright dun.
  • Assuming every mayfly spinner shares one body color.

Common variations

Small changes can make a different fly.

Three reviewed technical illustrations show the identifying profile, construction, and fishing orientation. They are schematic field-guide aids, not photographs.

Reviewed core form

Split tails, a slender rusty body, and flat spent wings form the identifying spinner silhouette. Foam-backed and sunken versions are labeled variants.
Colors shown
rust brown, pale spent wings
Weighting
Weighting is identified when it defines the reviewed form; other bead or weight choices remain labeled variants.

Related patterns

Trico Spinner ↗Mayfly Patterns by Stage ↗

How this guide was checked

Fly information and photo sources.

Guide checked on 2026-07-12. Every image has its own source and usage record. Natural insects and hand-tied flies can vary in shape and proportion.

Pattern sources

Orvis NewsHow to Tie the Rusty Spinner↗

Image credits