What Fly to Use on the Deerfield River

Tailwater Western Massachusetts MA

Dam-controlled flows with excellent catch-and-release sections. Strong caddis and mayfly hatches.

Current Conditions

Live USGS water data — updated every 30 minutes

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River conditions

Data: USGS Water Services

Conditions-adjusted recommendations for right now

Matching the hatch...

Complete hatch calendar with peak windows and matching fly patterns

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Blue Wing Olive Baetis spp.

Parachute BWO, BWO Emerger, Pheasant Tail Nymph

Hendrickson Ephemerella subvaria

Hendrickson Dry, Hendrickson Nymph

Caddis Hydropsyche spp.

Elk Hair Caddis, Caddis Emerger, Green Caddis Larva

March Brown Stenonema vicarium

March Brown Dry, March Brown Nymph

Sulfur Ephemerella dorothea

Sulfur Comparadun, Sulfur Spinner

Isonychia Isonychia bicolor

Isonychia Comparadun, Isonychia Nymph

Blue Wing Olive Baetis spp.

Parachute BWO, RS2 Emerger

Active season Peak activity

7 documented hatches with peak timing and matching fly patterns

Insect	Season	Peak	Time	Patterns
Blue Wing Olive (Baetis)	Mar 15 - May 31	Apr 1 - May 10	Afternoon	dry Parachute BWO #18/20emerger BWO Emerger #18/20nymph Pheasant Tail Nymph #18/20
Hendrickson	Apr 15 - May 15	Apr 25 - May 10	Afternoon	dry Hendrickson Dry #12/14nymph Hendrickson Nymph #14
Caddis	Apr 25 - Jul 15	May 10 - Jun 15	Evening	dry Elk Hair Caddis #14/16emerger Caddis Emerger #14/16nymph Green Caddis Larva #14/16
March Brown	May 5 - Jun 10	May 15 - May 31	Afternoon	dry March Brown Dry #10/12nymph March Brown Nymph #10/12
Sulfur	May 25 - Jul 10	Jun 5 - Jun 25	Evening	dry Sulfur Comparadun #16/18dry Sulfur Spinner #16/18
Isonychia (Slate Drake)	Jun 10 - Oct 10	Jun 25 - Aug 10	Evening	dry Isonychia Comparadun #10/12nymph Isonychia Nymph #10/12
Blue Wing Olive (Fall)	Sep 20 - Nov 20	Oct 5 - Nov 5	Afternoon	dry Parachute BWO #18/20/22emerger RS2 Emerger #20/22

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