Our creeks and rivers in Pennsylvania are well-known for the Grannom caddis hatch in April. The term Grannom is often associated with this caddis hatch in the East, but I’ve also heard of the Mother’s Day Caddis out West referred to as a “western grannom.”
Adult Grannoms, or the dry fly in fly fishing terms, have a black charcoal colored body with dark tannish mottled wings and range from size 14 to 16. Unlike most bugs that hatch in the East during the spring, grannoms begin hatching in the morning.
Although Midges and Blue Winged Olives do present limited opportunities to fish dries earlier in the year, Grannoms are often considered the first major hatch of spring on our water. The Grannom hatch is an exciting time of year for those of us fly fishing in Pennsylvania.
Our water here at the club is great for Grannoms, especially the Little Juniata River and Spruce Creek. The Grannom hatch is one of those times of year that every angler should experience. It’s hard to explain just how many bugs can be around during a heavy grannom hatch. The best line I’ve heard is that during a heavy hatch of Grannoms on the Little J it almost looks like it’s snowing.
Like all things fly fishing, exactly when the Grannoms will hatch each year depends on the weather. Most years the Grannoms hatch roughly around the 2nd or 3rd week of April. On years with warmer weather they hatch a little earlier in April, and on years with colder weather they hatch a little later. Each year we do our best to keep members informed of when the Grannoms are hatching.
If you’ve never been at the club for the Grannom it’s definitely a hatch worth chasing. Although, it’s hard to go wrong with a fly fishing trip to the club anytime in April. Give Joel a call if you need to get a couple days on the water.