June is perhaps the best month for trout fishing in the Eastern chunk of the United States, and that’s mostly because of some extraordinary hatches.
As runoff rages across much of the West, trout streams from Maine to North Carolina teem with bugs and trout happily slurping them off the surface. This urge to watch fish feed on top drives anglers mad and they travel from great distances in search of the famous hatches on well known waters. Of all the bugs that emerge in June, here are three great hatches to seek out on waters near and far!
Green Drake
Few hatches match the intensity and lore of the green drake. Once an angler hits a solid drake hatch it is said they are ruined for life. People will return to streams year after year in search of this monster mayfly, and it’s for good reason! Drakes bring big fish from their deep haunts as they slash the surface to devour these bugs that can come in size #10 or bigger. Throwing giant dry flies is a true treat, and it’s the highlight of the month, if not the entire season!
Sulphur
The sulphurs usually start in mid-May but typically last well into June. Those who stay late into the evening will be well rewarded by this terrific hatch. Cloudy days are usually best, as with most hatches, and a little rain doesn’t stop the bugs from pouring off and the trout are happy to oblige and feed well into the night! Of the three this is probably the most technical, especially on pressured waters, so be prepared to have a variety of flies available and cycle through each until you find the one the fish want!
Little Yellow Stonefly
Probably the lesser known of the major summer hatches, trout go insane for the little yellow stones that come off in the middle of June. Anglers who use a Yellow Sally dry during this hatch can find tremendous success fishing riffles and faster runs where the bugs usually hatch. In fact, one of the best strategies for fishing this hatch is running a Yellow Sally dry fly with an Iron Sally nymph trailing behind. While this is a wonderful hatch to hit in June, it can come earlier if the weather warms so keep tuned in with the forecast to hit it properly!
June is the favorite month for many anglers in the East. Wet wading season is in full swing, water levels are still strong, and the hatches pour off with regularity. Hitting any of these bug events right will potentially spoil someone for life, and even an average evening in June can bring spectacular fishing in the midst of a blanket hatch of these protein-rich trout snacks!