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Hatch MatchHook the Horizon · field intelligence

Reference windows · not a forecast

When these groups are typically around.

Every band below is a published typical range. Elevation, latitude, aspect, tailwater release, drought and this particular year all move them — often by weeks. Read it as a map of the ordinary, then go look at the water.

This is not a hatch forecast. Nothing here knows your water, your elevation, or today. It cannot tell you what is emerging right now, and it never will.
Reader overlay
Twenty-six of the thirty-nine groups have a window here, and seven more have no season to have. The remaining six have reviewed records but no seasonality yet — because the published sources, or the records themselves, do not support a family-level month. Cranefly larvae run anywhere from a few months to five years and turn up in spring, summer and autumn; black flies hold three different voltinism strategies inside one family. Shiners are identified by what they lack, not by a shared spawn. Shrimp in this set is grass and penaeid together. Young blue crab is a size-and-habitat shift, not a month. Marine worms cite authorities that disagree on when the swarm happens. There is no honest family-level window for any of those, so none has one. That is a gap in this page, not a claim that they have no season, and their entries carry what the record does know.

Full year

Every window at once.

Typical reference windows by group, stage and month
Group · event
Midge (non-biting)Larvae presentJan: typical, prominentFeb: typical, prominentMar: typical, prominentApr: typical, prominentMay: typical, prominentJun: typical, prominentJul: typical, prominentAug: typical, prominentSep: typical, prominentOct: typical, prominentNov: typical, prominentDec: typical, prominent
Midge (non-biting)EmergenceJan: typical, prominentFeb: typical, prominentMar: typical, prominentApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: typical, prominentDec: typical, prominent
MayflyNymphs presentJan: typical, prominentFeb: typical, prominentMar: typical, prominentApr: typical, prominentMay: typical, prominentJun: typical, prominentJul: typical, prominentAug: typical, prominentSep: typical, prominentOct: typical, prominentNov: typical, prominentDec: typical, prominent
MayflySummer emergenceJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
MayflyAutumn emergenceJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: typical, regularOct: typical, regularNov: typical, regularDec: typical, regular
CaddisflyLarvae presentJan: typical, prominentFeb: typical, prominentMar: typical, prominentApr: typical, prominentMay: typical, prominentJun: typical, prominentJul: typical, prominentAug: typical, prominentSep: typical, prominentOct: typical, prominentNov: typical, prominentDec: typical, prominent
CaddisflyEmergenceJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: typical, prominentOct: typical, prominentNov: typical, prominentDec: outside typical range
StoneflyNymphs presentJan: typical, prominentFeb: typical, prominentMar: typical, prominentApr: typical, prominentMay: typical, prominentJun: typical, prominentJul: typical, prominentAug: typical, prominentSep: typical, prominentOct: typical, prominentNov: typical, prominentDec: typical, prominent
StoneflyPre-emergence migrationJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: typical, prominentMay: typical, prominentJun: typical, prominentJul: typical, prominentAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
StoneflyAdult activityJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: typical, prominentJun: typical, prominentJul: typical, prominentAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
StoneflySmall winter speciesJan: typical, occasionalFeb: typical, occasionalMar: typical, occasionalApr: typical, occasionalMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
HellgrammiteLarvae presentJan: typical, regularFeb: typical, regularMar: typical, regularApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: typical, regularOct: typical, regularNov: typical, regularDec: typical, regular
Terrestrials (ants, beetles, hoppers)Bank fallsJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: typical, prominentJul: typical, prominentAug: typical, prominentSep: typical, prominentOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Baitfish / forage silhouetteForage presentJan: typical, regularFeb: typical, regularMar: typical, regularApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: typical, regularOct: typical, regularNov: typical, regularDec: typical, regular
Damselfly / DragonflyNymphs presentJan: typical, regularFeb: typical, regularMar: typical, regularApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: typical, regularOct: typical, regularNov: typical, regularDec: typical, regular
Damselfly / DragonflyAdult huntingJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: typical, prominentJun: typical, prominentJul: typical, prominentAug: typical, prominentSep: typical, prominentOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Aquatic beetlesDiving / whirligig adultsJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: typical, regularOct: typical, regularNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Alewife / river herringSpawning runJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: typical, prominentJun: typical, prominentJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Alewife / river herringYoung move seawardJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: typical, regularOct: typical, regularNov: typical, regularDec: outside typical range
Shad (gizzard and threadfin)Spring spawningJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Menhaden (bunker, pogy)Inshore seasonJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: typical, regularOct: typical, regularNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Cisco / lake herringLate-autumn spawningJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: typical, regularDec: typical, regular
Inshore squidInshore seasonJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: typical, regularOct: typical, regularNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Inshore squidOffshore for winterJan: typical, occasionalFeb: typical, occasionalMar: typical, occasionalApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: typical, occasionalDec: typical, occasional
Alderfly larvaLarvae leave the waterJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
HellgrammiteLargest larvae leave the waterJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Water boatmenOverwinter in the waterJan: typical, regularFeb: typical, regularMar: typical, regularApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: typical, regularDec: typical, regular
BackswimmersOverwinter in the waterJan: typical, occasionalFeb: typical, occasionalMar: typical, occasionalApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: typical, occasionalDec: typical, occasional
Aquatic beetlesPresent under iceJan: typical, occasionalFeb: typical, occasionalMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: typical, occasional
Yellow perch, young of yearSpring spawn, then shallowsJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: typical, regularApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Sunfish, young of yearColonial nestingJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Sand lance (sand eel)Winter spawn on sandJan: typical, regularFeb: typical, regularMar: typical, regularApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: typical, regularDec: typical, regular
SilversidesEstuary spawnJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
AnchoviesWarm-season spawnJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: typical, regularOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Mullet (young)Autumn migrationJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: outside typical rangeMay: outside typical rangeJun: outside typical rangeJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: typical, prominentOct: typical, prominentNov: typical, prominentDec: outside typical range
Mole crab (sand flea)Swash zone, ice-free seasonJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: typical, regularOct: typical, regularNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
Killifish (mummichog and striped killifish)Spring-tide spawningJan: outside typical rangeFeb: outside typical rangeMar: outside typical rangeApr: typical, regularMay: typical, regularJun: typical, regularJul: typical, regularAug: typical, regularSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range
SculpinLate-winter nest under rocksJan: outside typical rangeFeb: typical, occasionalMar: typical, occasionalApr: typical, occasionalMay: typical, occasionalJun: typical, occasionalJul: outside typical rangeAug: outside typical rangeSep: outside typical rangeOct: outside typical rangeNov: outside typical rangeDec: outside typical range

outside the typical rangeoccasionalregularprominent

Shading is relative prominence within this reference set — how much of the season a group is usually a factor, not how likely it is to be hatching on your water today. Nothing here is a probability.

No season to have

These never emerge, so they are never a timing decision.

Each of these completes its whole life cycle in the water. There is no winged stage, no hatch, and nothing to be early or late for. They are not in the matrix above because a twelve-month bar would say something stronger than any source consulted actually says.

  • Scud / Amphipod →

    Whole life cycle in the water, no winged stage, and no separate larval form — the young are small versions of the adults.

  • Aquatic sowbug →

    Young are brooded in a pouch and released as miniature adults, so there is no synchronised appearance of a new stage to key on.

  • Leech →

    Eggs are laid into a mucous cocoon in the water. There is no aerial stage and nothing that emerges.

  • Aquatic worms →

    Hatch from cocoons as small versions of the adults and never leave the water.

    One behaviour worth separating from a season: when oxygen is especially low they may come to the surface. That is a response to the water, not a stage in a life cycle, and it should not be read as one.

  • Freshwater snail →

    Eggs are laid in gelatinous cocoons in the water. No aerial stage, and therefore not a hatch-driven food item at any time of year.

  • Clam (small freshwater bivalve) →

    Sphaeriid clams brood their young internally and release fully formed miniature clams — no free larval stage. Mussels differ: their larvae are parasitic on fish gills, so a mussel's early life is spent on a fish rather than in the substrate.

  • Crayfish →

    Entirely aquatic, with no emergence of any kind.

    But a crayfish is not the same food item all year. Published life histories put mating in autumn and egg-laying in spring, and describe a small number of adult moults clustered by season — a soft crayfish is a different animal to eat than a hard one. The detailed moult schedule is documented for one species and must not be read as a calendar for the family.

Jump to a group

MayflyCaddisflyStoneflyMidge (non-biting)HellgrammiteScud / AmphipodTerrestrials (ants, beetles, hoppers)Baitfish / forage silhouetteDamselfly / DragonflyAquatic beetlesShad (gizzard and threadfin)Alewife / river herringCisco / lake herringShiners and minnowsYellow perch, young of yearSunfish, young of yearCrayfishLeechAquatic wormsSand lance (sand eel)SilversidesAnchoviesMenhaden (bunker, pogy)Mullet (young)Killifish (mummichog and striped killifish)SculpinShrimp (grass and penaeid)Mole crab (sand flea)Blue crab (young)Marine wormsInshore squidWater boatmenBackswimmersCranefly larvaeAquatic sowbugFreshwater snailClam (small freshwater bivalve)Alderfly larvaBlack fly larva