Spokane River Washington Hatch Chart

Eastern Washington, flowing west from Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho through the city of Spokane to its confluence with the Columbia River near Spokane Valley. The Spokane River is one of the most accessible wild trout fisheries in the Pacific Northwest - a tailwater regulated by multiple dams that produces exceptional populations of wild redband rainbow trout within and around a major metropolitan area. The river's tailwater character and spring-fed tributaries maintain cool temperatures through the summer months, sustaining fish quality that surprises anglers unfamiliar with the fishery.

Check current Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations before you go. The Spokane River has special regulations including selective gear rules, catch-and-release sections, and seasonal closures that vary by reach. The river flows through a mix of city parkland, private land, and public access corridors - verify access and current rules before fishing each section.

Shop by type: dry flies, nymphs, Euro nymphs, hoppers and terrestrials, streamers.

The river

The Spokane River drops through a series of basalt canyon reaches as it crosses eastern Washington, producing fast, technical water with a mix of pocket water, riffles, and pools. The upper river near the Idaho border and through the Spokane Valley holds the highest fish densities. The urban reaches through Riverfront Park and the west side gorge below the Monroe Street Dam offer surprising solitude given their city setting - the canyon walls isolate the water from the surrounding urban environment.

Wild redband rainbow trout are the primary species - a native subspecies of rainbow trout adapted to the cold, alkaline waters of the Columbia Plateau. Redbands are aggressive, hard-fighting fish with more color than typical hatchery rainbows and a tendency to rise freely to dry flies when hatches are on. The Spokane also holds brown trout in certain reaches and whitefish throughout.

The caddis hatch is the defining event of the Spokane River year - one of the heaviest caddis hatches in Washington, producing evening rises that draw fish throughout the system from May through September. Plan any Spokane River trip around the evening caddis and you will not be disappointed.

Year at a glance

Month	Primary hatches	Also carry	Typical sizes
Jan	Midges	Small nymphs	20-26
Feb	Midges, BWO	Small nymphs	18-24
Mar	BWO, midges, Skwala	Early caddis	Skwala 10-12, BWO 16-20
Apr	BWO, caddis, March Brown	Skwala nymphs	BWO 16-20, caddis 14-16
May	Caddis, PMD, BWO	March Brown, yellow sally	Caddis 14-16, PMD 16-18
Jun	Caddis, PMD, yellow sally	Golden stone, hoppers start	Caddis 14-16, PMD 16-18
Jul	Caddis, PMD, hoppers	Yellow sally, ants	Caddis 14-16, hopper 8-12
Aug	Caddis, hoppers, PMD	Ants, beetles, trico	Hopper 8-12, caddis 14-16
Sep	BWO, caddis, hoppers	Mahogany dun, trico	BWO 16-20, hopper 8-12
Oct	BWO, midges	October caddis, mahogany dun	BWO 16-20, midge 20-24
Nov	Midges, BWO	Small nymphs	18-24
Dec	Midges	Small nymphs	20-26

January

The Spokane fishes year-round and January is the midge and nymph season. The tailwater character of the upper reaches keeps water temperatures stable and fish active through the coldest months. Focus on the slower runs and deeper pools in the canyon reaches - fish hold tight to the bottom in January and respond to a slow, methodical nymph presentation. Very few other anglers in January makes this an excellent time for solitude on urban water.

Midges - 20-26. Red zebra midge and small Euro nymphs subsurface. Midge cluster dry when fish are dimpling in slow tailouts.
Small nymphs 18-22 on a tight-line rig through the deeper slots.

February

BWO begin appearing on overcast afternoons in February - one of the earliest BWO rivers in Washington due to the relatively low elevation and tailwater influence. Midges continue throughout the day. A mild February afternoon in the Spokane gorge with rising fish and no other anglers is one of the better-kept secrets of eastern Washington fly fishing.

BWO - 18-22 on overcast afternoons. Parachute BWO when fish are rising.
Midges throughout. Red zebra midge subsurface.

March

March brings the Skwala stonefly - the first significant dry-fly hatch of the year on the Spokane and one of the most anticipated events of the eastern Washington fishing calendar. Skwalas are large (size 10-12), dark stoneflies that hatch in the afternoon on warm late-winter days, triggering aggressive surface feeding from redbands that have seen no dry flies all winter. BWO continue on overcast days. Early caddis begin by late month.

Skwala - 10-12. The signature early-season hatch. Large dark stonefly dries on warm afternoons - see dry flies.
BWO - 16-20. Parachute BWO on overcast days alongside the Skwala.
Skwala nymphs 10-12 subsurface from nymphs before and after the hatch window.

April

Caddis begin in earnest in April and quickly become the dominant hatch. BWO continue on overcast days. March Browns appear on the broader sections. The Spokane does not experience significant runoff due to its dam regulation - April is reliably fishable when nearby freestone streams are blown out. Evening caddis hatches in April can be prolific with good fish activity throughout the canyon reaches.

BWO - 16-20. Parachute BWO on overcast days.
Caddis - 14-16. Elk hair caddis afternoons and evenings.
March Brown - 12-14 on the broader riffled sections.

May

The prime season opens in May. Caddis hatches build to their peak - evening caddis activity on the Spokane in May can be extraordinary with fish rising throughout the river. PMDs begin on the flatter sections by mid-month. BWO continue on overcast days. Yellow sallies begin in the faster riffles. May is one of the best months on the Spokane - excellent hatches, stable water, and lighter pressure than summer.

Caddis - 14-16 evenings. Elk hair. The Spokane's defining hatch.
PMD - 16-18. Pale Morning Dun mornings on flatter sections.
BWO on overcast days. Parachute BWO.
Yellow sally - 14-16 in the riffles on warm afternoons.

June

Peak caddis season. Evening hatches from June through August are the best dry-fly fishing the Spokane offers - dense emergences with redbands rising aggressively throughout the canyon. PMDs continue in the mornings. Yellow sallies in the riffles. Hoppers begin along the canyon margins by late June. Fish the canyon sections in the evening for the full caddis experience.

Caddis - 14-16 evenings. Elk hair. Plan your day around the evening hatch.
PMD - 16-18. Pale Morning Dun mornings.
Yellow sally - 14-16 in the riffles.
Late June: first hoppers - hoppers and terrestrials along the canyon margins.

July

Caddis evenings remain the anchor of July fishing. Hoppers build along the basalt canyon walls and grassy margins above the gorge - fish them tight to the banks in the afternoon before the evening caddis hatch begins. PMDs linger on the cooler upper sections. Ants and beetles midday. Monitor water temperatures in July - the lower urban reaches can warm and fish may seek the canyon depths during midday heat.

Caddis - 14-16 evenings. Elk hair.
PMD - 16-18 on cooler upper sections. Pale Morning Dun.
Hoppers - 8-12 afternoons along canyon walls. Hoppers and terrestrials. Hopper-dropper with a small nymph.
Yellow sally - 14-16 in the riffles.
Ants and beetles midday from hoppers and terrestrials.

August

Hopper season peaks in August on the Spokane - the basalt canyon walls concentrate grasshoppers and the redbands respond aggressively. Evening caddis continue strong. Trico spinner falls begin on the flatter sections by mid-month. Fish the canyon gorge sections early morning for tricos and hoppers, then stay for the evening caddis hatch. August evenings on the Spokane gorge are some of the finest dry-fly fishing in eastern Washington.

Hoppers - 8-12. Hoppers and terrestrials hard against the basalt canyon walls.
Caddis - 14-16 evenings. Elk hair.
Trico - 20-24 early morning on flat sections. Fine tippet essential.
Ants and beetles midday. Hoppers and terrestrials.

September

September is the finest month on the Spokane. Crowds thin after Labor Day, BWO return with the cooling temperatures, hoppers continue through mid-month, and the canyon is at its most dramatic. The fall BWO hatch overlaps with continuing caddis and the combination produces outstanding mixed-hatch evenings. Mahogany duns add an afternoon option on overcast days.

Hoppers through mid-September. Hoppers and terrestrials.
BWO - 16-20. Parachute BWO and CDC Baetis emerger on overcast afternoons.
Caddis evenings continuing. Elk hair.
Mahogany dun - 14-16 on overcast afternoons.

October

Fall BWO fishing strengthens through October - the canyon sections produce consistent afternoon hatches with selective fish. October caddis add a large dry-fly option on warmer afternoons. Midges reassert themselves as the primary subsurface food source as temperatures drop. Brown trout become more aggressive as pre-spawn instincts kick in - streamers produce the largest fish of the year in October.

BWO - 16-20. The dominant hatch. Parachute BWO.
October caddis - 8-10 on warmer afternoons. See dry flies.
Midges - 20-24 picking back up. Red zebra midge.
Mahogany dun - 14-16 on overcast days.
Streamers for fall browns - streamers in the deeper canyon runs.

November

BWO and midges as the season winds down. The urban canyon sections fish well on mild November days with minimal competition. Streamers remain productive for larger fish. November on the Spokane gorge is a genuinely peaceful experience - the city disappears once you're in the canyon and the fishing can be surprisingly good.

BWO - 16-20 on overcast afternoons. Parachute BWO.
Midges - 20-24. Red zebra midge subsurface.
Small nymphs on a tight-line rig through the deeper slots.

December

Back to the midge program. The Spokane's tailwater sections remain fishable year-round - December in the canyon gorge offers solitude and active fish for the angler willing to brave the cold. Focus on the slower runs adjacent to the main current seams and present midges slowly on a tight drift.

Midges - 20-26. Red zebra midge and small nymphs subsurface. Midge cluster dry when fish are dimpling.
BWO on overcast afternoons. Parachute BWO.

A western dry and nymph assortment covers the core season. Add a Skwala pattern for March, and plan any summer or fall visit around the evening caddis hatch - it is the defining experience of the Spokane River and one of the finest caddis hatches in eastern Washington. The river rewards anglers who stay late.