Attenella attenuata nymphs prefer medium to fast moving riffles where the substrate consists of gravel and rocks. Nymphs migrate to slower water before hatching where they shed their husk on the bottom, and swim to the surface. Like Drunella cornuta, Attenella attenuata is a very tricky hatch, due to the color of this insect during emergence. As attenuata nymphs split their husk the freshly hatched duns appear very pale green in color, and continue to grow darker as they drift along the waters surface. Looking closely at floating duns will reveal colors from very pale olive, bright yellowish olive, tanish olive, to dark olive. This adds complexity to consistently hooking rising trout, as the fish not only lock into one color to feed on, but seem to change color preference as the hatch progresses. The angler fishing this hatch should be well prepared with all of these color variations.

   Hatches occur in the morning between 8:30 AM and noon, but on cooler rainy days may be found on the water into the afternoon along with Drunella cornutella.