Salmonfly Hatch

As fly anglers, we should all be obsessed with entomology, the study of bugs. Knowing the hatch and being able to recognize what’s flying/swimming around and what the fish are keyed into is crucial to putting fish in the net.

When it comes to bugs that we imitate with flies, very few are as impressive as the Pteronarcys californica, known to most as the salmonfly. The salmonfly begins life as an impressive nymph that can grow to more the 50 mm and is a fantastic nymph to fish (usually in a size 10 coffee Pat’s Rubber Leg). Once these nymphs complete their three-year cycle and reach maturity, they emerge in the form of a two-inch-long beast.  For a week or two each year on select rivers around the West, including two here in Colorado, the salmonfly hatch is the thing every angler talks about. Trout gorge themselves on these epic insects to the point you can hear the wings crunching in the trout’s bellies.

As luck would have it this hatch is only a few weeks away. Take a few minutes to read this article form What is a Salmonfly and Why Do Anglers Love Them?, and get down to your local fly shop for some salmonfly patterns.

Link to the article: What is a Salmonfly and Why Do Anglers Love Them?