Our Waters

Northern Michigan Hatch Chart

What do Hexagenia limbata, Ephemerella dorothea, and Isonychia all have in common? They are all BUGS! Fly fishing is all about putting an imitation of a natural food source in the face of a fish, and many times that means insects. The following hatch chart helps you make sense of the funny scientific names associated with the insects we try so hard to imitate. Common names, usual seasons and peak emergences are all included for your reference. Highlighted rows indicate major hatches. Peak hatch periods are indicated in red.

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Size	Common Name Scientific Name	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
18/20	Tiny Early Winter Black Stonefly Allocapnia granulata OR vivipara
16/20	Tiny Late Winter Black Stonefly Nemouridae & Leuctridae
10/14	Early Black Stonefly Taeniopteryx nivalis
12/14	Early Brown Stonefly Brachyptera fasciata
18/20	Blue Wing Olive Mayfly Baetis vagans
16/18	Slate Wing Mahogany Mayfly Paraleptophlebia adoptiva
12/14	Dark Hendrickson Mayfly Ephemerella subvaria
16/18	Little Black Caddis Chimarra aterrima
12/14	Borcher's Drake Mayfly Leptophlebia cupida
14/16	Grannon Caddis Brachycentrus americanus
2/8	Midwestern Salmon Fly Stonefly Pteronarcys dorsata
10/18	Green Rock Worm Caddis Rhyacophilidae fenestra
8/14	Medium Brown Stonefly Perlodidae isogenus & isoperla
10/14	Great Speckled Olive Mayfly Siphloplecton basale
14/20	Net Building Caddis Hydropsche bronta & simulans
16/18	Sulphur Dun Mayfly Ephemerella dorothea
14/18	Little Yellow & Little Green Stonefly Alloperla caudata & imbecilla
14/16	White Miller Caddis Nectopsyche
20/22	Blue Wing Olive Mayfly Baetis cingulatus
14/16	True Hendrickson Mayfly Ephemerella invaria
14/16	Light Hendrickson Mayfly Ephemerella rotunda
10/12	American March Brown Mayfly Stenonema vicarium
12/14	Sand Drake Mayfly Stenonema fuscum
12/14	Early Gray Drake Mayfly Siphlonurus rapidus
10/12	Brown Drake Mayfly Ephemera simulans
8/10	Great Orange Sedge Caddis Phryganlidae ptilostomis
8/12	Green Oak Worm \| Greenie Worm Caterpillar Various
20/28	Midges Diptera
10/12	Mahogany Dun Mayfly Isonychia sadleri
6/8	Great Olive Winged Drake Mayfly Hexagenia limbata
10/12	White Gloved Howdy Mayfly Isonycha bicolor
12/14	Light Cahill Mayfly Stenonema canadense
10/12	Late Gray Drake Mayfly Sephlonurus alternatus
10/12	Golden Drake Mayfly Ephemera varia
6/8	Big Golden Stonefly Paragentina media
14/18	Slate Winged Olive Mayfly Ephemerella lata
22/24	Tiny Blue Winged Olive Mayfly Pseudocloen anoka
18/20	Dark Slate Wing Olive Mayfly Ephemerella simplex
8/24	Terrestrials Ants/Grasshoppers/Beetles/Jasids
24/26	Tiny White Wing Black Mayfly Tricorythodes stygiatus
16/18	Small Slate Mahogany Dun Mayfly Paraleptophlebia debilis
18/20	Black Dancer Caddisfly Mystocides sepulchralis
22/24	Little Medium Olive Mayfly Baetis pygmalus
12/14	White Fly Mayfly Ephoron album
14/16	Slate Wing Brown Mayfly Baetis heimalis
4/16	Eggs Steelhead/Salmon/Trout