Lake Almanor in June: Where Mayflies Rise and Big Rainbows Follow

The Power of Hex Hatch Fishing

By Captain Rob Ayers | Adapted for Sierra Rec Magazine

There’s a shift in the air around Lake Almanor this time of year. The warm-up down in the valley sends a steady stream of visitors into our pine-covered hideaway — pulling into lakeside campsites, walking through town with ice cream cones, and settling back into a rhythm that only summer at Almanor can offer. Campfire smoke mingles with the scent of pine, and for those of us on the water, it’s the start of something special.

June, hands down, might be the most exciting month in the Almanor Basin. And if you’re a fly angler, there’s one reason that stands above the rest: the Hex hatch.

The Return of the Mayfly

Let’s back up a bit. Last month, in Lake Almanor I showcased the midge — a small, non-biting fly that hovers around the lake and gives our fish something to snack on. But as we move into June, another fly begins to steal the show: the Hexagenia limbata, or more simply, the giant mayfly.

Mayflies, by name and nature, are ephemeral — they belong to an insect order whose Greek roots literally mean “living for a day.” That’s not an exaggeration. While they can spend more than a year living underwater as larvae, adult mayflies live only to reproduce, often for just a few hours. No mouth. No eating. Just wings, water, and a fleeting dance in the dusk.

And here at Lake Almanor, when these golden giants start to emerge in the evening light, things get exciting.

A Hatch Worth Waiting For

The “Hex hatch” — as it’s often called — begins in late June and continues into early July. The timing is unpredictable and the window is short. You’ll see the first signs just before dark: mayflies popping to the surface in a flurry of motion, their wings drying as they hover and drift.

And then the water comes alive.

Fly anglers come from all over to catch this moment. Casting a dry fly across the lake at twilight, watching a rainbow trout rise beneath an orange sky — that’s the magic of June on Almanor. For some, it’s the catch of a lifetime. For others, it’s about something quieter: being present for one of nature’s most subtle spectacles.

The Water Opens, the Season Begins

By the time this story runs, the tributary creeks around Almanor — which close each spring to protect spawning rainbow trout — are back open. This year, they opened on Saturday, May 24, and they’ll stay open through the summer. Cold, clean flows are running again, and the fish are responding.

Whether you’re here for the hatch, for the camping, or just to escape the heat of the valley, June is your invitation to reconnect with the lake.

Share the Wonder

One last note. If you see one of these gentle yellow mayflies on your boat or your shoulder, show it to a kid. Let them watch it up close. Tell them it only lives for a day, but in that one day, it feeds a whole ecosystem. That’s the kind of connection that builds future anglers, naturalists, and stewards of wild places.

Catch a fish. Let it go. Watch the light change over the water. That’s Almanor in June.

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