Clearwater River in north central Idaho is a prime cutthroat trout, bull trout, and steelhead stream. The hatch chart below lists the major fly hatches you’ll want to know when fly fishing the north fork of the Clear Water River.
Fly hatches on Clearwater River North Fork occur throughout the year but are most prolific during spring and fall. The following chart lists the major fly hatches by season. Hatch sizes and dates will vary from year to year based on water conditions and temperatures.
| Fly Hatch | Size | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Midge | 18 - 22 | Jan 1 - Nov 30 |
| PMD | 14 - 18 | June 1 - July 31 |
| BWO (Baetis) | 16 - 22 | June 1 - July 15 |
| Spotted Caddis | 10 - 14 | June 1 - July 15 |
| Caddis | 16 - 18 | June 1 - Aug 31 |
| Salmonfly | 10 - 14 | July 1 - July 31 |
| Golden Stonefly | 6 - 8 | July 1 - Aug 31 |
| Green Caddis | 8 - 14 | July 1 - Sep 30 |
| Yellow Sally | 10 - 16 | July 1 - Sep 30 |
| PMD | 14 - 18 | July 1 - Sep 30 |
| Beetle | 10 - 18 | July 1 - Sep 30 |
| Ant | 10 - 16 | July 1 - Sep 30 |
| Hopper | 4 - 10 | July 1 - Oct 15 |
| October Caddis | 6 - 8 | Sep 1 - Nov 30 |
Recommended Trout Flies:
Trout on Clearwater River North Fork are not highly selective but matching the hatch using fly patterns that closely imitate the trout’s natural forage will increase your catch rate. Below are a few of the more important fly patterns we recommend (although you can match the hatch using any of the fly hatches listed above).
- Blue-winged Olives – nymph, emergers, duns and spinners sizes #16-18
- Midges – cream and red larva, pupa and adult sizes #20-22
- Winter Stoneflies – nymph and adult sizes #16-18
- Stoneyfly – nymphs sizes #18-22
- Sinking Sculpin
