April 19, 2026
It’s been a wild weather week - with temperatures reaching into the high 70s and even 80s last Tuesday/Wednesday - and on Sunday at this writing, snow/sleet mixed with rain and hail….which is typical of Springtime in the Catskills!
Our rivers and streams are still below the average level; on Sunday evening the Willowemoc measured at 172 cubic feet per second but was edging upward toward the 40-year median average flow of 262 cfs; the Beaverkill, at 654 cfs was rising toward its 112-year median average flow of 957 cfs.
April spring blooms are so pleasing to the eye - the cheerful daffodils, the deep blue/purple myrtle along the driveway and delicate star-shaped white blooms of the Shadbush against the softest greens of the early leaves now beginning to appear on the mountainsides. On walks in the woods with Millie we’ve noticed the dainty pink and white oxalis, or wood sorrel, and even a few trout lilies in bloom; and are beginning to see the red maples pushing out their red buds. The Quill Gordons, the first major dry fly hatch of the spring that coincides with the blooming of the daffodils, have already been seen in the afternoons. These are fairly large mayflies in sizes #12 - #14. And the Blue Quills, slightly smaller dry flies in sizes #16 - #18, are now appearing, also about midday. These coincide with the bright yellow blooms of the forsythias.
But by far, the most anticipated spring hatch that usually occurs during the end of April, is coupled with the first sightings of violets, bright yellow Colts Foot, and the budding of the wild cherry trees: the Hendrickson hatch, which is perhaps the most beloved hatch on the Beaverkill and Willowemoc.Hendricksons were hitting the windshield along the Neversink, and that sighting was confirmed by an angler who had success fishing over the weekend on that stream. There was a hatch of dark mayflies that at first resembled Quill Gordons, but closer inspection revealed three tails, a sure sign of a Hendrickson. The flies came off late in the afternoon and were spotty, but resulted in a beautiful brown trout that was about the length of the net.
The Hendrickson hatch is the indicator of the “good fishing” to come and is one of the most prolific on our rivers and streams. There are days when the number of flies hatching reach uncountable numbers, the air is filled with the delicate blue-gray mayflies; and the surface of the stream is teeming with so many rising trout it is difficult to decide which fish to cast to next, as there are so many to choose from!
Records we’ve kept over the years of our observations of the hatch while fishing indicate Hendricksons hatching on the Beaverkill as early as April 19 and as late as May 20. Notes were also made on the degree of the hatch – from “few” to “good”, “heavy” and “terrific”. Interestingly, the time period that had the most “terrific” hatch notes reported was between April 22 and April 28; and then again from May 4 through May 11. And not to be deterred by weather conditions, great fishing was had some years ago during a Hendrickson hatch in a heavy April snowstorm, with flies hatching as heavily as the snow was falling - certainly not a day for the faint of heart to be out on the river. (If you haven’t already done so, be sure to add some Hendrickson dry flies to your flybox this week!)
In addition to the beginnings of the Hendrickson hatch there have also been good hatches of Blue Quills, as well as size #16 Grannom Caddis flies of a dark dun color with a green egg sac.
The Grannom Caddis is a prolific Spring-hatching caddis fly, in sizes #14 - #16, often with a green egg sac. They tend to hatch in large numbers, which can cause trout to rise and feed voraciously.
It’s getting to be prime time for fishing - and the weather forecast for this week calls for temperatures a bit more in line with what we expect in April - as well as overcast, partly sunny days - prime for fishing. Make time to get out and enjoy all that our Catskill rivers and streams have to offer!