Iowa Hatch Chart
Which insects hatch on Iowa rivers each month, when they peak, and the flies to match.
- 11Hatches
- 3Hatching in November
- 3Watersheds
Hatching in November
-
Midge PeakMidge
Griffith's Gnat #22–26
-
Blue-Winged OliveMayfly
Sparkle Dun #18–22
-
Fall BWOOther
CDC Emerger #18–22
Iowa hatch calendar
Every hatch on the 3 watershed hatch charts of Iowa's rivers, month by month.
| Hatch | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Flies | Water temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midge Midge Chironomidae | In season | Peak | In season | Peak | In season | Griffith's Gnat #22–26 | 34–65°F | |||||||
| Little Black Stonefly Stonefly Capnia sp. | In season | Peak | Black Elk Hair #18 | 38–50°F | ||||||||||
| Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly Baetis tricaudatus | In season | Peak | In season | In season | Peak | In season | Sparkle Dun #18–22 | 44–58°F | ||||||
| Hendrickson Mayfly Ephemerella subvaria | Peak | In season | Comparadun #12–14 | 48–58°F | ||||||||||
| Little Black Caddis Caddis Chimarra sp. | Peak | In season | X-Caddis #18 | 46–56°F | ||||||||||
| Brown Drake Mayfly Ephemera simulans | Peak | In season | Brown Drake #10–12 | 55–65°F | ||||||||||
| Sulphur / PMD Other Ephemerella dorothea | In season | Peak | In season | Parachute Adams #16–18 | 55–68°F | |||||||||
| Tan Caddis Caddis Hydropsyche sp. | In season | Peak | In season | In season | Elk Hair Caddis #14–16 | 55–68°F | ||||||||
| Terrestrials Other Ants · Beetles · Hoppers | In season | Peak | In season | Chernobyl Ant #10–18 | 62–78°F | |||||||||
| Trico Mayfly Tricorythodes sp. | In season | Peak | In season | Trico Spinner #22–26 | 60–72°F | |||||||||
| Fall BWO Other Baetis sp. | In season | Peak | In season | CDC Emerger #18–22 | 44–56°F |
- In season
- Peak
- This month
A month is marked when any of the watershed charts lists the hatch, and as a peak when most of them peak then. Smaller streams often see lighter or later hatches.
River hatch charts in Iowa
Iowa hatch FAQ
What are the main hatches in Iowa?
Midge, Little Black Stonefly, Blue-Winged Olive, Hendrickson, and Little Black Caddis are on the most watershed hatch charts across Iowa's rivers.
When is the best hatch fishing in Iowa?
May, when 6 of the 11 hatches on the chart are on the water. Check local reports: weather moves every hatch.
Where does this hatch chart come from?
From the hatch charts of the 3 watersheds Iowa's rivers run through. A month is marked when any of them lists the hatch, and as a peak when most of them peak then.
