The Smoky Mountains Hatch Chart is a comprehensive guide for fly fishermen visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This chart outlines the key hatches and insect activity throughout the year, helping anglers choose the right flies and techniques to catch trout in this renowned fishery.
Southeast Hatch Chart
The Smoky Mountains Hatch Chart covers the seasonal hatches in the southeastern region, providing valuable information for each month:
January
- Midge (#18-24) in the afternoons
- Tiny Blue Winged Olive (#18-22) in late mornings to afternoons
- Early Black Stonefly (#18) all day
- Suggested patterns: Para Blue Wing Olive, small black stonefly, San Juan Worms, Squirmy Wormies
February
- Midge (#18-24) in the afternoons
- Blue Winged Olive (#18-22)
- Early Black Stonefly (#18) all day
- Suggested patterns: Para Blue Wing Olive, small black stonefly, San Juan Worms, Squirmy Wormies
March
- Midge (#16-24) in the afternoons
- Blue Winged Olive (#16-22) in late mornings to afternoons
- Early Black Stone (#18) all day
- Blue Quill (#16-18) in mornings to early afternoons
- Quill Gordon (#12-16) in late morning to early afternoons
- Black Caddis (#18) in late morning to late afternoons
- Terrestrials (ants, beetles, hoppers, crickets, green weenie) in early to mid-March
Summer Hatch Chart
The Smoky Mountains Hatch Chart also covers the abundant hatches during the summer months:
June
- Little Blue-winged Olive (Acentrella, Diphetor, Plauditus)
- Eastern Blue-Winged Olives (Drunella sp)
- Green Sedges (Rhyacophila sp)
- Cinnamon Caddis (Spotted Sedges Ceratopsyche sp)
- Little Sister Caddis (Cheumatopsyche s)
- Sulphurs (Ephemerella dorothea)
- Little Yellow Sallies (Perlodidae)
- Slate Drakes (Isonychia bicolor)
- Light Cahill (Stenacron int)
- Little Green Stoneflies (Chloroperlidae)
- Little Eastern Blue-Winged Olives (Attenella sp)
- Little Yellow Quills (Heptagenia Group)
- Golden Stoneflies (Perlidae)
- Cream Cahills (Maccaffertium sp)
- Needle Stoneflies (Leuctridae sp)
- Little Summer Stone (Peltoperlidae sp)
- Midges (Chironomidae)
- Grasshoppers
- Ants
- Beetles
- Inch Worms
- Long Horn Sedges (Leptoceridae sp)
- Mahogany Duns (Paraleptophlebia s)
- Craneflies (Tipulidae sp)
- Flying Ants
Importance of Hatches
The Smoky Mountains Hatch Chart highlights the significance of understanding and matching the hatches in this fishery:
- Hatch Intensity: Hatches in the park are often more prolific and common than in other headwater, mountain freestone streams.
- Pocket Water: Attractor patterns work well in pocket water, but trout may not closely examine the fly.
- Slow Moving Water: Trout feed on small crawler nymphs in shallow, slow-moving water along the edges of pocket water.
- Blue Quills: Small paraleptophlebia nymphs are common in the park, especially in early spring and late summer to early fall.
- Little Yellow Stoneflies: Trout can become selective on these small stonefly nymphs when they are crawling to the banks along the stream bed to hatch.
- Light Cahills/Cream Cahills/Little Yellow Quills: Trout feed selectively on these mayflies in certain areas of a stream where they are abundant.
Choosing the Right Flies
The Smoky Mountains Hatch Chart provides guidance on selecting the appropriate flies for the various hatches:
- Matching the Hatch: Determine what the trout are feeding on at any given time and place and imitate it with a fly.
- Behavior: Imitate the behavior of the insect with the fly.
- Nymphs and Emergers: Trout often prefer nymphs and emergers over duns, especially for Light Cahills, Cream Cahills, and Little Yellow Quills.
By understanding the Smoky Mountains Hatch Chart, fly fishermen can increase their chances of success and enjoy a more rewarding experience in this iconic trout fishery.