Generally seen from August through to October, Crane flies hatch in the ground on cool humid mornings. It pays to fish these when the wind is blowing, the daddy longlegs is not good at flying and are always blown onto the water. The legs on these flies seem to act as a trigger to the fish (especially when twitched). These flies are tied on size 10 and 12 barbless hooks with a slender hackle, this allows them to create a wake on the surface when retrieved, again another trigger point the fish home into.
When Daddy Long Legs are hatching in the area, use these flies with a slightly heavier tippet than you would normally use - it will reduce the amount of twist in the leader as these flies are fairly big and wind-resistant. Daddy Long Legs are also surprisingly effective when fished as a wet fly, so don't be too quick to keep these flies dry, once wet and submerged, if on a Stillwater, gently "figure of 8" them back (on a river try fishing them in the surface film), and hold on!
Yellow Daddy. A twist on the classic Daddy Long Legs pattern. This is a streamlined pattern, tied with swept-back wings, yellow foam body and signature long legs.