July Hatches

Terrestrials

Basically, anything that doesn't live in the water is a terrestrial. The most common insects include ants, beetles, worms, caterpillars, crickets or hoppers. While it is always a good idea to have a San Juan Worm in your box, get ready for the Flying Ants. They were large and black #16. Look for Beetles, Hoppers and ants to be especially important now.

Caddis

The Cream Caddis (Psilotreta) are hatching good numbers now. Hydropsyche known as the Spotted Sedge or Tan Caddis are also hatching now.. The LaFontaine's Sparkle Pupa #14-18 in Tan will imitate the prolific Spotted Sedge. A Brown or Tan Elk Hair Caddis #16-18 is a great bet for the adults in faster water. In slower water try our Partridge Tan Caddis in sizes 14-18. Also this is the time for the Green Caddis or Rhyacophila. Use a Henryville Special #16-18 for this fly. Try an Olive Sparkle Pupa #16-18 and any Olive Larva pattern in #16-18.

Light Cahill/ Summer Sulphurs

Look for all variety of Cahills and Summer Sulphurs like Epeorus vitreus and Leucrocuta hebe (formerly Heptagenia hebe) to hatch usually around dusk although activity may stretch out on cooler, less humid days. Look for the best action below riffles rather than slow moving water although spinners may be found floating below riffles in slower water. Sulphur and Light Cahill Emergers size 14-18 are often very effective. Light Cahills and Sulphurs in sizes 14-18 will imitate many of the dun and spinner phases in sizes 14-18. According to Matt Grobert, due to the temperatures during the summer it is not uncommon to find the hebe spinners in the morning. Use a Rusty Spinner #18-20 and see what happens!  

Isonychia Slate Drake

Isonychia will hatch sporadically in July. Look for them on cooler days during the heat of summer. They will reappear in larger numbers in August. Still, the trout are used to seeing them and it therefore makes for a great searching pattern. Trout don't often turn them down. We should still be seeing the larger size 12 specimens but as we move towards September, they will be smaller a size 14 being more typical. The Iso hatch as it known is one of the highlights of the year. Still, it is confusing because there aren't usually swarms of them hatching at any one time but instead they hatch sporadically all day. Still, the trout key on them. Use a Prince or Zug Bug size 12-14 or an Iso Nymph #12. They are swimmers so the nymphs can be actively fished by twitching them through a pool or they can be just as easily dead drifted through a run or pocket. The Iso Emerger is deadly in size 12. The dun is well imitated by either an Adams #12-14, Iso Parachute or Comparadun or a Dun Variant first tied by Art Flick. The spinner falls are really the only time you can get a sense of just how many of these insects have actually hatched. Use a #12 Rusty Spinner for some fast action at dark.

Golden & Yellow Drakes

Look for the big Yellow Drakes (Ephemera varia) to hatch from quiet pools near dark. The same goes for most of the Golden Drakes (Anthopotamus distinctus and ruffous). Many people confuse the Golden Drakes with the Large Sulphur Stenonema rubrum which often hatches in the afternoon on cooler days. Use big a #12 Potomanthus Comparadun or Golden Drake #12 for this hatch. Actually some exciting fishing can be had by fishing a Potomanthus nymph with a short retrieve across the bottom.    

Hexagenia

These are some of the largest mayflies. They hatch in good numbers beginning in July but most heavily in August. The Hexes are burrowing nymphs that favor mud banks to build their burrows hence they are found in deep slow pools. During the heat of summer, they often hatch after dark. Most commonly, you will see the spinners high in the air but on cooler nights they may begin hatching around 7 pm.   

Summer Blue Quill/ BWO/ Tricos

The Summer Blue Quill Paraleptophlebia mollis is an under sung but important mayfly. The Blue Wing Olives continue to hatch in the summer. The Drunella lata which includes the attenuatta, cornutella and simplex, are very important. Also, the Pseudocleon and Callibaetis may also be found. Use a #16-22 BWO for these mayflies. I also fish either an Adams, Blue Dun or Pheasant Tail Parachute size 18-20. Small Pheasant Tail Nymphs are important as are BWO or Grey RS2 in sizes #16-20.Small #18-22 Rusty Spinners are a must in the late afternoon to early evening. Tricos are most often associated with spring creeks. Many area anglers fish for them in eastern Pennsylvania such as the Little Lehigh, and Bushkill. Tricos hatch in the evening and the spinners drop in the morning. They are also small, size 22-26. Two of our streams which have good Trico action are the South Branch and the Big Flatbrook. The lower Musconetcong also has a decent population of Tricos. 

Midges  

There are still lots of midges hatching later in the season. Trout have been feeding on them all season and so they are very accustomed to taking them. For larva patterns the Black or Red Zebra Midge size 18-22 is hard to beat.