Bryson City Hatch Report
The Bryson City Area Hatch Report was compiled over the past 36 years from on-stream data to provide the traveling angler some information on local hatches. Terrestrials all summer long include inchworms, beetles, ants, flying ants, and a few small hoppers.
Incidentally, caddisflies are most abundant in this region, and one should be prepared with larval, pupal, and varying adult patterns throughout the year. Over 330 species have been identified in this region. However, there are numerous patterns for each of the insects listed above which represent many developmental stages of the life cycle. Bryson city area hatch report
This report was compiled from stomach samples of over 14,000 regional wild trout. The trout are sampled through the use of a stomach pump. The results are imported into a database which I use to maintain and analyze the records. This table represents the averages of the emergence dates given by the month.
Actual emergence dates may come early or late depending on weather patterns in western NC. I often enjoy fly patterns that have an attraction with colored hot spots and various trigger mechanism materials like rubber. They usually tend to outperform the more drab traditional patterns.
Bryson City Area Hatch Report for Western North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Insect / Patterns | Size | Months |
Black Stone | 14-16 | Feb.-Mar. |
Blue Quill | 18 | Feb.-Mar. |
Ephemerella cornuta | ||
Blue Winged Olive | 12-14 | Feb.-July |
Ephemerella cornutella | ||
Blue Winged Olive | 18-22 | June-Aug. |
Olive Midge | 18-24 | Feb.-March |
Male Adams | 14-16 | Feb.-March |
Quill Gordon | 12-14 | Feb.-April |
Dark Elk Hair | 16-18 | April-May |
Ephemerella rotunda | ||
Hendrickson | 14-16 | March-May |
Red Quill | 14-16 | March-May |
Female Adams | 14-16 | March-May |
Ephemera guttulata | ||
Green Drake | 8-12 | April-May |
Cream Midge | 22-26 | May-August |
Stenonoma vicarium | ||
March Brown | 12 | March-May |
Brachycentrus americanus | ||
Dark Grey Caddis | 16-18 | May |
Stenonoma ithaca | ||
Light Cahills | 16-18 | May-August |
Stenonoma fuscum | ||
Gray Fox | 14 | May-June |
Ephemerella dorthea | ||
Sulphurs | 16-18 | May-July |
Isonychia bicolor | 10-12 | June-August |
Isoperla | ||
Little Yellow Stones | 16-18 | May-June |
Perilidae | ||
Little Green Stone | 18-20 | June- August |
Grey Midge | 20-26 | October- Feb. |
Baetidae | 20-26 | Hatches sporadic year-round |