Driftless Hatch Charts
This is by no means a comprehensive list of all aquatic insects found in Driftless trout streams, instead we have highlighted those hatches that are most important to us as fly fishers. Below each chart you will find information about each insect and the most effective patterns to imitate them.
Mayflies of the Driftless
It wouldn't be right if I didn't give a plug for one of our favorite books. It's written by Carl Richards. In it, he talks specifically about fish feeding behavior, and it has the more detailed information about aquatic insects and their hatching behavior than any book I seen. I haven't found too many libraries that carry it, but you can usually find it relatively inexpensive on amazon.
Little Blue Winged Olive
Baetis spp
Time of Year
Feb-Nov
Hatch Time
Morning and Evening
Dark Hendrickson
E. subvaria
Time of Year
April-Early May
Hatch Time
Afternoon
Sulphur
E. invaria
Time of Year
May-June
Hatch Time
Afternoon
March Brown/Gray Fox
M. vicarium
Time of Year
May-July
Hatch Time
Sporadic/Even
Light Cahill
M. ithaca
Time of Year
May-July
Hatch Time
Evening
Pale Evening Dun
Ephemerella dorthea
Time of Year
May-July
Hatch Time
Late morning-early afternoon
Trico
Tricorythodes
Time of Year
June-Sept
Hatch Time
Morning
Books we would recommend
The Bug Book
By: Paul Weamer
Wisconsin Driftless Fly Fishing
Minnesota Driftless Fly Fishing
Caddisflies of the Driftless
Below you will find the Caddis hatch chart for the driftless region. Imitating caddis is more about size and their action on the water, than it is actually matching what they look like. So Instead of listing out specific patterns for each species, below the insect photos, we have listed our favorite patterns that can be effective for all species by simply changing size and how you move them on the water.
Grannom/Apple Caddis
Microcaddis
Little Black Caddis
Longhorned Sedge
Spotted Sedge
Top Caddis Patterns
Wally Wing Caddis
Fluttering Caddis
