Delaware River Hatches

You've never "matched the hatch"

Until you fish the Delaware

As with any hatch chart, this is only a guide to when you can expect certain flies to hatch. The weather, water levels and just the overall type of season will affect the actual periods of bug activity. Some of the hatches occur throughout the river system, while others are more prolific in specific sections. Just another reason why a full time professional fly fishing guide can make your visit to the river more enjoyable and productive.

If you look through the chart you will notice some overlap among the various hatches. This often translates to having multiple insect species hatching at the same time. On top of this, add fish that are keyed into one specific species and then into one specific life stage of that insect. It gets interesting.

 *The first date listed is usually the earliest you can expect particular

Explore Guided Trips
Insect Artificial Size Dates*
Taeniopteryx fasciata Brown Stone 12/14 3/25-5/5
Baetis vagans Blue Winged Olive 18/20 3/25- 5/15
Chimarra Little Black Caddis 18/20 4/1 - 5/20
Paraleptophlebia adoptiva Blue Quill, Mahogany Dun 18/20 4/10 - 5/10
Epeorus pleuralis Quill Gordon 12/14 4/10 - 5/15
Ephemerella subvaria Hendrickson 12/14 4/15 - 5/25
Ephemerella invaria Sulfur 12/14 4/20 - 6/10
Brachycentrus Shad Fly, Grannom Caddis 16 4/25 - 5/25
Ephemerella rotunda Sulfur/Pale Evening Dun 12/14 5/1 - 6/10
Stenonema vicarium March Brown 10/12 5/15 - 6/5
Stenonema fuscum Gray Fox 12/14 5/25 -6/20
Ephemerella dorothea Sulfur 16/18 5/25 - 7/15
Ephemera guttulata Green Drake 8/10 6/1 - 6/15
Epeorus vitreus Sulfur 12/14 6/1 - 8/10
Isonychia bicolor Dun Variant, Slate Drake 10/12 6/1 - 10/31
Stenonema Ithaca & canadense Light Cahill 12/14 6/5- 9/10
Ephemerella cornuta Blue Winged Olive 14 6/5 - 6/25
Ephemerella atenuata Blue Winged Olive 18/20 6/15 - 7/15
Ephemera simulans Brown Drake 8/10 6/5- 6/15
Potamanthus Cream Variant 10 6/15 - 8/25
Tricorythodes Trico 24 6/28 - 10/15
Pseudocloeon Blue Winged Olive 24 6/28 - 11/20
Ephemerella lata Blue Winged Olive 22 7/15 - 11/24
Paraleptophlebia debilus Blue Quill 16/18 7/1 - 10/15
Ephoron leukon White Fly 12/14 8/20 - 9/15