Matching the Hatch with a Dry Fly

A ‘hatch’ in fly fishing means what happens when large numbers of the same kind of insect emerge all at once from the water or – in the case of beetles – the ground beneath the wild shrubs lining the river bank or lake edge.

When I encounter a hatch of a specific kind of insect, I immediately try to find a fly in my box that will suitably imitate the hatching insects.

A May Fly

Mayfly and caddis fly hatches are common events on any river. At certain times of the year beetles and cicadas hatch in big numbers, as well.

Whenever there’s a hatch on, you can be sure that the trout will start feeding exclusively on whatever insect it is that’s emerging.

It is wise to try to ‘match the hatch’ in such a situation.

With that in mind, you should try to find out which hatches are likely to occur in the area you are planning to fish. That way you can cover your bases before you arrive at the river.

One river I know on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island is well-known for regular hatches of a particular species of large, near-black mayfly.

Whenever I fish this river I make sure beforehand that my fly box is well-stocked with big dark dry flies tied especially to imitate this mayfly species. There is always a strong chance that a hatch of these mayflies will occur at some stage while I’m on the river, and I know full well that if such a hatch does take place I won’t catch a single trout unless I have exactly the right imitation in my box.

But there are also those days and weeks when nothing much hatches at all. At times such as this, and if the sun is shining on the water, I will invariably opt for a general dry fly such as the Stimulator, Molefly or Royal Wulff.

Stimulator Dry Fly

This is because when no hatch is on, the trout will not be concentrating on one specific food source. Instead, they will be on the lookout for all sorts of different feeding opportunities, both on the surface and below it.

At times like these, it’s vital to catch the eye of the trout and provoke him into rising to your fly, and the best way to do that is to use a dry fly pattern with plenty of stimulating colours in it!

Related posts:

1. An Introduction to Dry Fly Fishing
2. A Guide to Dry Fly Fishing Techniques