The hatch chart · Crustacean
Freshwater shrimp
Gammarus pulex
- Natural’s size
- Hook 12–16
- Time of day
- Always on the riverbed
- At its peak
- January, February, November, December
- Fly to try
- Sawyer’s Killer Bug, size 14
The year
- JJanuary: main hatch
- FFebruary: main hatch
- MMarch: some about
- AApril: some about
- MMay: some about
- JJune: some about
- JJuly: some about
- AAugust: some about
- SSeptember: some about
- OOctober: some about
- NNovember: main hatch
- DDecember: main hatch
In the hand
A curved, flattened crustacean 10–18 mm long, grey-olive to pale tan, that swims on its side in short darts. Many legs, no wings at any stage. Some carry an orange spot, which is why pink and orange imitations work.
On the river
Thrives in weed and gravel on alkaline rivers and is eaten all year. It matters most in winter, when grayling and trout feed hard on the bottom and little hatches.