Spring is upon us, and some of our most consistent fly fishing of the year is about to start. Longer days and warmer temperatures mean more opportunities to get on the water. Which means we are no longer confined to drifting nymphs or stripping streamers, and dry fly season is cranking up! Hatches are starting and will continue in rapid succession for the next couple of months.

Throughout late March and most of April, the majority of our hatches will happen midday. Complex hatches will occur, with multiple species of insects emerging at the same time. Knowing what the fish are eating, and when, becomes an important detail to consistently having success. Finally, the annual sucker spawn is right around the corner. This event provides some of the best nymphing opportunities of the entire season.

Another great thing about early spring is that insects and the fish are most active during the middle of the day. So 9am to 5pm, or “banking hours,” are often the best times to fish.

Blue-winged olives, blue quills, Hendricksons, Grannom caddis, tan caddis, and numerous other insects hatch from late morning through late afternoon. This pattern stays pretty consistent until late April or early May, when many of the hatches begin to shift toward early morning and close to sunset.

Fish can still be caught in low-light conditions early and late in the day, but in general, the best nymphing and dry fly fishing occurs midday.

Arguably the best part of early spring fishing is the dry fly opportunities. Midges, black stoneflies, and blue-winged olives have already been hatching for weeks on warmer days. Many other hatches will begin in the coming weeks.

It’s crucial to have a variety of dry flies this time of year. Not only should you carry patterns to match different species, but also different sizes and stages of each insect. Early in the day, trout are often keyed in on emerging insects. Later, they may focus on egg-layers or spent insects.

I guided a day last year in early April where, within a 30-foot stretch of water, my guest had seven fish rising. It took nine pattern changes to bring every fish to the surface. One wanted a male Hendrickson emerger, another a Hendrickson dun, another a Grannom egg-layer, another a blue-winged olive emerger, and so on.

Out of all the hatches this time of year, the blue-winged olive is the most consistent. They hatch virtually every day through April, and trout seem to love them. They typically hatch from around noon until 3pm and are especially abundant on overcast days. Sizes usually range from #16–20. Don’t hit the stream without a selection of these in your box.

You can tell a lot about what a fish is eating based on its rise form.

A splashy rise this time of year often indicates fish feeding on emerging caddis or Hendricksons. Conversely, if you see just a nose break the surface and a subtle ring on the water, the fish is likely feeding on blue-winged olives or spent mayflies or caddis.

I’ve seen days where a pool is full of splashy rises and every trout is eating emerging Grannoms. Then you spot a single subtle rise, just a nose breaking the surface, and that fish won’t touch a caddis, even with multiple perfect drifts. Switch to a blue-winged olive emerger, and it eats on the first good presentation.

This selectivity is what makes trout fishing both challenging and fun this time of year. You don’t have to be an entomologist to be successful, but knowing what hatches occur, where they happen, and when can greatly improve your results.

The vernal equinox is upon us! Birds are chirping, trees and flowers are blooming, and insects are emerging.

It’s time to hit the water and catch some trout. Get out there and have some fun.