How to Match a Hatch and Catch Fish in Colorado this Spring 2021 | Fly Fishing Colorado
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How to Match a Hatch and Catch Fish in Colorado this Spring 2021

up close shot of a Fly Rod sitting on a dock

As the snow and ice melts this spring. Fish become more active in their pursuit of food. This makes spring the perfect time to fly fish. On many of the rivers in Colorado, fly fishing is a superior way to catch fish than a cast and reel rod. A Hatch is a term that describes an event when adult insects come out of the water and fly off. To be able to catch a fish by creating a fly you need to have an idea of what type of fish you want to catch in the first place. Although fish will typically eat whatever they can, different species have different insect preferences.

To make the best fly you need to observe what insects are hatching near the body of water that you want to fish at. This can be done by turning over rocks and looking at what type of critters are near aquatic vegetation. Ultimately it will be best to catch a “nymph” or young insect with wings present. Based off the color and size of the nymph you can then build a fly based on the hatch that is happening at your current location. When done correctly, this can lead to many catches in a single day.

a box of colorful fly fishing flies

If you were looking to understand more about Matching a Hatch, then there is an app for that. This app can be found on the Apple App Store and Google Play and is called Match A Hatch. This is the official fishing app of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The app will inform you when and where insects are hatching on the rivers in Colorado. Another nifty feature is the ability to recommend certain flies to increase catch rates. Nowadays there are plenty of neat ways to Match a Hatch and cast all spring long.

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