The most anticipated hatch of the year

swimmy said:
Scrolling through old photos, I can't help but think about June in the Northern Rockies. Still a bit of snow on the peaks, skies are blue, grass is green, days are long, and the rivers are dropping.

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And of course, the arrival of the most anticipated hatch of the year.

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This hatch is as good a chance as you will get all year to catch a quality trout on a dry.

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I'll chase this thing for a month starting in Idaho and finishing in the YNP. Thankfully, she understands and usually wants to get in on some of the action.

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You got a hatch/season that you most look forward to?
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Wonderful photos!
 
I was on candy lake one day back when I lived in Washington. It was raining water boatman. Talk about exciting fishing. I never timed it again like that but I will never forget it.
 
BDD said:
Can't pin point a favorite...depends on the situation. Traveling sedge for stillwaters is high on the list, if not the top of it. For moving water, any hatch that consistently brings the fish on top is okay with me.

Skwallas because its generally the first hatch of the year to bring fish up consistently even though you don't see a lot of adults. I like the March Brown because you can sneak out and fish the hatch on an extended lunch break and be back for a late afternoon meeting. Mother's Day caddis because of the sheer number of naturals and the longevity of it. Of course, Salmon flies are a joy because of the extreme size of the insect. October caddis because who doesn't like fishing in the fall and again, the size and behavior of the natural insect.
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All good choices. Don't sleep on Spruce Moths! Oh and the big tugs water boatmen imitations get as RyRy82 just reminded us.
 
Big fan of the callibaetis hatch all summer in Utah’s Boulder Mountsins. Fish it from the bottom of the lake, up through the column, then back down as spinners.
 

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In NH, as a young man, it was the rainbow smelt spawning run that could result in lights out landlocked salmon fishing in early spring. Very sweet.

When I lived in Reno, always caught many of my best fish of the year on skwalas on a nice 39-41 degree water day in the Truckee. Skwalas also good on the lower Yuba, along with march browns and PMDs. Then carpenter ants in June on the Truckee, and BWOs both early and late season. Wingless stones on the Carson. Had one good salmonfly day on the McCloud.
 
Damsels for me, unless I'm carpin' then it's the "Cottonwood" and "Mulberry" "hatches" . . . :cool:
 
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Surprised it hasn't been mentioned, Green Drake on the Lady M.

Cheers
 
Canuck from Kansas said:
Surprised it hasn't been mentioned, Green Drake on the Lady M.

Cheers
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I've only seen the late spring/early summer one (which is awesome) but have heard there's another GD hatch in early in fall. Have you hit the fall one? Curious if it's similar to the May/June GD hatch - looking for a reason to get back out there in fall I guess.
 
Long_Rod_Silvers said:
I've only seen the late spring/early summer one (which is awesome) but have heard there's another GD hatch in early in fall. Have you hit the fall one? Curious if it's similar to the May/June GD hatch - looking for a reason to get back out there in fall I guess.
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There is a fall hatch, not as intense and the bugs aren't quite as big - still a fun one though - Fall is the best season in my opinion (mid September to end of October), not quite as crowded, some really good hatches throughout the day.

Cheers
 
#2 - the Mother's Day Caddis Hatch. If the salmon fly hatch is Christmas, Caddis are Thanksgiving.

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Interesting enough, during the hatch a purple haze will often outfish an elk hair

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And with water temps hitting 55, this is sometimes the best streamer bite of the year

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nice photos from Swimmy
Mother's Day Caddis can make a mockery of "matching the hatch".
Had an amazing afternoon fishing the Jones Hole on the Big Hole with a big Black Wulff. The greedy bastards jumped on the much larger extra visible bug.
So what about that morning? J.J. Specials of course.
 
Rio Grande King said:
Mother's Day Caddis can make a mockery of "matching the hatch".
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Heck, it can make a mockery of just trying to breathe or eat lunch! The Kids were with me one evening; I was fishing, they were exploring the shoreline. Then a Caddis hatch exploded! I kept fishing, the Kids darted to the truck until I quit at dark. Unfortunately, a host of Caddis Flies entered the truck with them & and the Kids went into full-on crush/smash/swat mode. When I got into the truck, both Kids were asleep and the truck had a really hideous interior.
 
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