When does the Sulphur hatch on Chattooga River (upper)?

Sulphur (Ephemerella dorothea / invaria) hatches May 20 – Jun 25 on Chattooga River (upper), heavy intensity, evening emergence. Water temperature trigger: 55–68°F.

When does the Midge hatch on Chattooga River (upper)?

Midge (Chironomidae spp.) hatches Year-round on Chattooga River (upper), moderate intensity, midday emergence. Water temperature trigger: 32–60°F.

When does the Blue Winged Olive hatch on Chattooga River (upper)?

Blue Winged Olive (Baetis spp.) hatches Apr 10 – Apr 30 on Chattooga River (upper), moderate intensity, afternoon emergence. Water temperature trigger: 45–55°F.

When does the Quill Gordon hatch on Chattooga River (upper)?

Quill Gordon (Epeorus pleuralis) hatches Apr 5 – Apr 25 on Chattooga River (upper), moderate intensity, afternoon emergence. Water temperature trigger: 48–56°F.

Hatch calendar

Chattooga River (upper) hatch calendar.

Freestone
Wild trout / catch and release
brown trout
rainbow trout
wild

Wild & Scenic designation protects this Southern Appalachian river through the Sumter and Nantahala forests. Wild trout, remote character, dramatic gorges.

Famous for

Verify with the agency before fishing

Fishing regulations change every season. This page is a summary maintained by Bield — bag limits, exact dates, and species-specific rules must be verified with North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission before each trip.

What's hatching now

May on the water.

Sulphur
Ephemerella dorothea / invaria
Mayfly
Peak week
May 20 – Jun 25
Intensity
Heavy
Time of day
Evening
Water temp
55–68°F · peak 62°F
Top flies
Sulphur Parachute #16-18 · Sulphur Comparadun #16-18 · Sulphur Sparkle Dun #16
Midge
Chironomidae spp.
Midge
Peak week
Year-round
Intensity
Moderate
Time of day
Midday
Water temp
32–60°F · peak 40°F
Top flies
Griffith's Gnat #20-24 · Zebra Midge #20-22 · WD-40 #20
Blue Winged Olive
Baetis spp.
Mayfly
Peak week
Apr 10 – Apr 30
Intensity
Moderate
Time of day
Afternoon
Water temp
45–55°F · peak 50°F
Top flies
Parachute BWO #18-20 · CDC Comparadun #18-20 · Pheasant Tail Nymph #18
Spring emergence
Quill Gordon
Epeorus pleuralis
Mayfly
Peak week
Apr 5 – Apr 25
Intensity
Moderate
Time of day
Afternoon
Water temp
48–56°F · peak 52°F
Top flies
Quill Gordon Dry #12-14 · Quill Gordon Wet #12 · Pheasant Tail Nymph #14
Hendrickson
Ephemerella subvaria
Mayfly
Peak week
Apr 25 – May 15
Intensity
Moderate
Time of day
Afternoon
Water temp
50–58°F · peak 55°F
Top flies
Hendrickson Parachute #12-14 · Red Quill Spinner #12-14 · Pheasant Tail Nymph #14
Grannom Caddis
Brachycentrus spp.
Caddis
Peak week
Apr 25 – May 15
Intensity
Moderate
Time of day
Afternoon
Water temp
52–62°F · peak 56°F
Top flies
Elk Hair Caddis #14-16 · Henryville Special #14-16 · LaFontaine Sparkle Pupa #14
March Brown
Maccaffertium vicarium
Mayfly
Peak week
May 10 – Jun 1
Intensity
Light
Time of day
Afternoon
Water temp
55–65°F · peak 60°F
Top flies
March Brown Parachute #10-12 · Grey Fox Comparadun #12 · March Brown Nymph #12

Full year calendar

Twelve months on Chattooga River (upper).

Each row is a hatch species. Bar color = type, opacity = intensity, peak month outlined. The current month is highlighted on the timeline.

MayflyCaddisStoneflyMidgeTerrestrial· peak month outlined · intensity = bar opacity · current month highlighted

Hatch species on Chattooga River (upper)

The bug calendar in detail.

Midge
Chironomidae spp.
MidgeMidday
Water-temperature trigger
30°F32–60°Fpeak 40°F80°F
Duration
52 weeks
Also called
Chironomids · Snowflies
Top fly patterns
- Griffith's Gnat #20-24
- Zebra Midge #20-22
- WD-40 #20
- Disco Midge #22
Year-round food source — the only consistent option on tailwaters in winter. On cold sunny days look for noses sipping clusters in slow water.
Blue Winged Olive
Baetis spp.
MayflyAfternoon
Water-temperature trigger
30°F45–55°Fpeak 50°F80°F
Duration
6 weeks
Also called
BWO · Olive
Top fly patterns
- Parachute BWO #18-20
- CDC Comparadun #18-20
- Pheasant Tail Nymph #18
- RS2 #20
Most reliable Eastern hatch. Two emergences — spring (March-April) and fall (September-October). Best on overcast, drizzly days.
Quill Gordon
Epeorus pleuralis
MayflyAfternoon
Water-temperature trigger
30°F48–56°Fpeak 52°F80°F
Duration
3 weeks
Also called
QG
Top fly patterns
- Quill Gordon Dry #12-14
- Quill Gordon Wet #12
- Pheasant Tail Nymph #14
Classic Catskill spring hatch. First major mayfly of the year on many freestone streams. Emerges underwater — wet flies often outperform dries.
Hendrickson
Ephemerella subvaria
MayflyAfternoon
Water-temperature trigger
30°F50–58°Fpeak 55°F80°F
Duration
3 weeks
Also called
Red Quill · Dark Hendrickson
Top fly patterns
- Hendrickson Parachute #12-14
- Red Quill Spinner #12-14
- Pheasant Tail Nymph #14
- Hendrickson Comparadun #14
First substantial mayfly hatch on most Eastern rivers. Spinner falls in evening can be as productive as the dun emergence.
Grannom Caddis
Brachycentrus spp.
CaddisAfternoon
Water-temperature trigger
30°F52–62°Fpeak 56°F80°F
Duration
3 weeks
Also called
Apple Caddis · Mother's Day Caddis (East)
Top fly patterns
- Elk Hair Caddis #14-16
- Henryville Special #14-16
- LaFontaine Sparkle Pupa #14
- Green-bodied Caddis Nymph #14
First major caddis emergence of the year. Look for clouds of small dark caddis above riffles in late afternoon.
March Brown
Maccaffertium vicarium
MayflyAfternoon
Water-temperature trigger
30°F55–65°Fpeak 60°F80°F
Duration
4 weeks
Also called
Grey Fox · American March Brown
Top fly patterns
- March Brown Parachute #10-12
- Grey Fox Comparadun #12
- March Brown Nymph #12
Sporadic emergence rather than a heavy hatch — but trout key on individual large duns drifting through. Freestone-river specialty.
Sulphur
Ephemerella dorothea / invaria
MayflyEvening
Water-temperature trigger
30°F55–68°Fpeak 62°F80°F
Duration
6 weeks
Also called
Pale Watery · Little Yellow May
Top fly patterns
- Sulphur Parachute #16-18
- Sulphur Comparadun #16-18
- Sulphur Sparkle Dun #16
- Pheasant Tail Nymph #16
- Sulphur Spinner #18
The most important mayfly hatch on Eastern rivers. Reliable emergence + spinner fall every evening for 4-6 weeks. Match the spinners with rusty-bodied patterns.
Light Cahill
Stenacron / Leucrocuta spp.
MayflyEvening
Water-temperature trigger
30°F60–72°Fpeak 65°F80°F
Duration
5 weeks
Also called
Cahill
Top fly patterns
- Light Cahill Parachute #14-16
- Cahill Comparadun #14
- Light Cahill Spinner #14
Pale yellow-cream mayfly. Less intense hatch than Sulphur but reliable across many Eastern rivers in late spring through early summer.
Yellow Sally Stonefly
Isoperla spp.
StoneflyAfternoon
Water-temperature trigger
30°F58–70°Fpeak 64°F80°F
Duration
5 weeks
Also called
Little Yellow Stone
Top fly patterns
- Yellow Sally Stimulator #14-16
- Yellow Stonefly Nymph #14
- Yellow Elk Hair Caddis #14
Common on freestone rivers. Adults flutter back to lay eggs on warm afternoons — trout target the egg-laying females.
Tan Caddis
Hydropsyche spp.
CaddisEvening
Water-temperature trigger
30°F58–72°Fpeak 64°F80°F
Duration
10 weeks
Also called
Spotted Sedge · Cinnamon Caddis
Top fly patterns
- Elk Hair Caddis #14-16
- X-Caddis #14
- LaFontaine Sparkle Pupa #14
- Tan Caddis Soft Hackle #14
Workhorse summer caddis. Heavy emergences and egg-laying flights at dusk through summer. Drop a soft hackle on the swing during the evening.
Slate Drake
Isonychia bicolor
MayflyEvening
Water-temperature trigger
30°F55–70°Fpeak 62°F80°F
Duration
12 weeks
Also called
Iso · Mahogany Dun (spinner)
Top fly patterns
- Slate Drake Parachute #12
- Iso Comparadun #12
- Mahogany Spinner #12
- Iso Nymph #12 (swimming nymph)
Long-running hatch from June into October. Nymphs are strong swimmers and crawl out of the water to emerge — fish a swung wet fly through riffles.
Terrestrials
(beetles, ants, hoppers)
TerrestrialAfternoon
Water-temperature trigger
30°F60–78°Fpeak 70°F80°F
Duration
12 weeks
Also called
Hoppers · Ants
Top fly patterns
- Foam Hopper #10-12
- Foam Beetle #14-16
- Para-Ant #16-18
- Chernobyl Ant #10
Not a hatch but the most important summer trout food in many Eastern systems. Fish tight to grassy banks and overhanging trees. Hopper-dropper rigs are deadly July through September.
October Caddis
Pycnopsyche spp.
CaddisEvening
Water-temperature trigger
30°F50–62°Fpeak 56°F80°F
Duration
4 weeks
Also called
Fall Caddis · Great Brown Sedge
Top fly patterns
- Orange Stimulator #10-12
- Goddard Caddis #10
- October Caddis Pupa #10
- Orange Elk Hair Caddis #10
Large orange-bodied caddis. The big fall food source on cold freestone rivers. Trout eat them all day in October but the egg-laying flight at dusk is the most explosive feeding.

River info

River type: Freestone
Primary species: brown_trout · rainbow_trout · wild
Management: Wild trout / catch and release
Counties: Jackson County
Elevation: 2200 ft
Access: Wild and Scenic River corridor; long sections require hike-in access.

USGS gauge 02177000

Sources

Primary

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Data quality: estimated

Live water temperature & hatch alerts.

Bield Fish reads USGS gauges, watches for the trigger window, and pings you when Chattooga River (upper) hits the temperature for your target hatch.

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