For volume fishing, nymphs win. For dramatic visual fishing during a hatch, dries win. Hatch calendar pages cover what life stage is most active at your timing.
Freshwater Trout & Hatches
What is the difference between a dry fly and a nymph?
A dry fly imitates an adult insect on the water surface; a nymph imitates the underwater larval stage of the same insect. Dry flies are visual and dramatic but only work during active surface feeding. Nymphs catch fish nearly all the time because trout feed on subsurface insects throughout the day, regardless of hatching activity.
More from Freshwater Trout & Hatches
- What is a hatch and why does it matter for fly fishing?
- When is the sulphur hatch on Eastern trout streams?
- What is the green drake hatch and why is it so famous?
- What is a Blue Winged Olive hatch?
- How do I match the hatch when trout are rising?
- What water temperature triggers mayfly hatches?
- What time of day do most hatches occur?
- What is a spinner fall and how do I fish it?
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