Store hours currently are 8am-6pm Monday & Tuesday, closed on Wednesdays, 8am-6pm Thursday & Friday, and 8am-5pm on Saturday & Sunday.
Pictured up top is Derrick Kirkpatrick, and Zach’s 2 ½ year old son Rowan giving him the assist and holding the brown up like a pro. Cuteness overload!
A second batch of 50 copies of Tom Ames new & updated "Pocketguide to Eastern Hatches" books arrived recently and we are once again stocked up. The official “release date” is mid September and you cannot purchase it on Amazon until then. We sold through the first batch in 4 days, this book is popular. It is the BEST hatch guide for our area, nothing else comes close. This version has some new info, new pictures, and new fly patterns. We will do our best to try to keep this in stock.
Nymphing
Tip:
Small
nymphs are often the key to subsurface success in the late
summer/early fall, and by small I mean #18 and smaller, all the way
down to #22-24.
Exceptions would be Isonychia #10-14, and Stoneflies #8-10. Most
nymphs are small to very small this time of year. And they are by far
more numerous than bigger ones. Some days this makes a huge
difference. And with the
low water conditions we currently have, you need to use lighter flies
with smaller beads or you will get hung up constantly. I know
a guy from PA that catches an average of 6,000-8,000 trout every
year. Yes, he is retired and fishes a LOT (about 300 days a year),
but usually only part of each day. And yes, he’s a highly skilled
nympher with excellent water reading skills, and he lives near the
best streams in central PA (2,000 - 4,000+ fish per mile for some of
his streams). If he has a secret, it’s that he mostly fishes nymphs
averaging #18-24 on a Euro Mono rig (FYI he also does dry flies &
dry/dropper). He typically uses a 4x micro leader and 6x tippet with
2 flies. He reasons that immature nymphs are small and grossly
outnumber bigger adult nymphs, and it’s hard to argue with his
results.
Frabill landing nets are in stock! Very functional lightweight nets with rubber coated mesh, and can handle very big fish. Flat net bottoms make it easy to deal with the fish and unhook them without the fish being all bent up. These nets are very popular with the competition guys. A great value at $40 to $55, depending upon the size.
We have a small batch of the new Diamondback Gen IV Nymph Rods with carbon grips- the previous batches were all with traditional cork grips. Carbon grips are more sensitive than cork, as well as quite durable (they won’t chip like cork can). There is a $25 upcharge for the carbon handle. We got them in the popular 10’ 7” #2 & #3 rods, and the 10’ #2. We can order the carbon grip in any size rod you want though.
The store is stocked with tons of books at the moment, both used & new books. Also, lots of used rods & reels currently.
Diamondback Generation IV Euro nymphing rods are available. We have the full line-up, minus the 10' 7" #4 (not available yet, probably mid fall). The models we have include 10' and 10' 7" lengths in #1, #2, #3, and 10' 7" in #6 & #7. These rods are very nice with crisp, responsive tips that recover fast with minimal wobble. The 10’ 7” #1 is a very interesting and excellent option for Micro Leaders, lighter tippets (6x and thinner), and lighter flies (2-3mm)- the rod has more backbone in the lower half than you would expect, while having a very soft tip. The 10' 7" #2 & #3 have been the big sellers for us, perfect for the Farmington River. The #3 is the all around and will do everything, but the #2 is great if you fish mostly 6x, throws lighter flies a bit easier, and is slightly better with Micro Leaders. The 7 weight is a new addition to the Diamondback lineup, for those targeting larger Steelhead with heavier tippets, as well as King Salmon and other larger fish where you need a stiffer rod with some serious backbone. Could be a good choice for hot fresh Fall Steelhead in heavy water on heavy tippets. The 6 weight is probably overall the better choice for Salmon River Steelhead in NY, where you are often down lighter 3x & 4x tippets and still need a rod that has some backbone to land 10# plus fish, but has a softer tip so you don't break fish off.
Friday morning 9/12/25 River Report:
Another nice cool morning in the upper 40’s. Long range highs for the next 7 days are 75-80 degrees, with nights in the low to mid 50’s. FYI it usually gets 3-5 degrees colder at night here than what they predict. They electroshocked the river to sample and measure the trout population on Wednesday & Thursday. Heard they sampled a LOT of trout, the population is in good shape. They had cut the dam release from 160cfs down to 50cfs to accommodate this, and then Thursday afternooon they put the dam release up to 100cfs, and it will stay there for a while. The target dam release for September is 200cfs, but with the dry August and dry long range forecast they are being conservative with the water so as not to run out. We could use some substantial rain. It is reading 104cfs at the Riverton USGS gauge (by the Rt 20 bridge), and below that the Still River is adding in 16cfs, giving us a total flow below that of 120cf. That is low but fishable. The upside to low flows is that when there are bugs on the water, the trout rise like crazy and it can make for some good but technical dry fly fishing. It’s also easy to read the water, and also easy to wade and access all the spots. The downside is less holding water and spookier trout. Longer leaders, lighter/longer tippets, and smaller flies all help. Be stealthy and dress in drab colors. Water temp behind UpCountry at 8am was 59.5 degrees, it peaked out yesterday at 68.5 degrees in the afternoon. It’s 62 degrees in Riverton a little below the dam this morning, it peaked out yesterday at 68 degrees. Keep an eye on afternoon water temps, especially if you are fishing downriver.
Flying Ants were all over the place Thursday from about mid afternoon through dusk. Not suprising given that it was the first warmer (high 70’s) sunny day. There was a mix of #16/18, and #24’s. It doesn’t happen every day, but when it does it can be epic. And with lower flows like we have now, they will rise big time. Make sure to have some Flying Ant patterns in your box from about #18-24, sometimes they are picky of fly size with them, and sometimes not.
If you are nymphing in these lower flows, remember to downsize everything: smaller flies, smaller beadheads on your flies, smaller split shot, thinner tippet, and smaller/drabber strike indicators. Euro Nymphers need to move their anchor flies from 3.5 & 4mm beads down to 3mm, 2.5 mm, and even 2mm. Otherwise you will be dredging bottom and hanging up constantly. Remember, trout are set up to feed at their mouth/eye level & above, you don’t want your flies drifting underneath them.
As I mentioned up top, Tom Ame’s “Pocketguide to Eastern Hatches” is back in stock. We are stocked up on tying materials for Great Lakes salmon & steelhead, including Estaz, Glo Bug Yarn, McFlyfoam, and Eggstasy (incluing the Electric/UV version too). O’Pros 3rd Hand Rod Holders are in stock again, they are a very popular and convenient for clipping your rod to your belt when you need both hands free. We also got in a lot of fly tying materials from a collection, so check out the bargain bins.
Morning Trico spinner falls are almost done now, they are basically only up by Riverton now and getting very light. We are seeing decent numbers of small Caddis averaging #18-22, in assorted colors like gray, tan, and black. You will see the black caddis adults on the rocks, they are very hard to see on the water. FYI splashy rises generally means Caddis. Isonychia can also create aggressive rises. Iso’s typically hatch in fast water between late afternoon and dark, and they ramp up in the late Summer/early Fall as the temps cool down. They have been light in numbers, but this overall cooler weather seems to be helping, they have been runing #10-14. The rocks in the fast water have a good number of large Stonefly shucks on them, also some #14-20 Yellow Sally Stoneflies on the rocks The Sallies are mainly a nymphing deal. There is a mish mash of various insects at dusk, including some bigger #12-14 Light Cahill/Summer Steno’s and small assorted Caddis #18-22. Mornings with large #8-10 Stonefly nymphs is still a good strategy for bigger fish, think first light (6am) to about 10am’ish. Fish the faster water- pool heads, riffles, runs, and pocket water.
If trout are not rising, be prepared to go subsurface and fish the faster water. Small nymphs, and at moments Junk Flies have both been effective of late. If you don’t want to nymph, try Dry/Dropper or fish 2-3 wet flies/soft hackles. All effective summertime strategies. You can also blind fish dry flies (attractors like Stimulators/smaller Chubby Chernobyls, bigger dries like Isonychia, or terrestrials like ants & beetles) in broken water, it’s surprisingly effective this time of year. You can do Dry/Dropper and attach a small lightly weighted nymph 18-24” below your dry to really increase your odds of success.
Hatches continue to overall be light this year, but the cooler weather is improving that a bit. Bugs have been very hard to predict this year. Check different river sections out when the fishing & hatches are slow. Fish in the shade whenever possible, trout will often move into those areas. When bug activity is light to non-existent (not uncommon, especially midday), the high percentage techniques are nymphing, dry-dropper, wet flies/soft hackles, or blind fishing attractor/bigger dries & terrestrials. Beetles & Ants are great during non-hatch times, very effective. Don’t waste your time trying to force feed hatch-matching mayflies when they are not on the water and/or the trout are not rising. Isonychia are definitely an exception, you can blind fish #10-14 Iso patterns in riffly water and do well. Blue Winged Olives (Olives/BWO’s) can run as big as #18, but I’d expect to see more smaller ones in the #22-26 range. Match the size closely. Overcast days are best for BWO hatches.
Glad to see we’ve mostly stayed out of a drought so far in 2025 (we did have a pretty dry August though, September is already much wetter but the long range forecast is very dry), and there is enough water in the reservoirs currently. CT DEEP has a flow plan for the Farmington River, and the target release from Colebrook River Lake Dam is 200cfs for September (assuming normal precipitation/resrvoir levels)- this is a target flow number, and not an absolute. During dry periods (like now) this would be reduced, especially if the lake level is too low- currently they have decided on a 100cfs release to conserve water. If we get lots of rain it’s increased if the lake level is too high. They also sometimes temporarily bump it up extra during heat waves to cool the river down. So far they have been on the conservative with the releases, with the fear being if they draw the reservoir down too much and then we end up in a drought, that we could be in bad shape in late summer/early fall and not be able to let out enough water. DEEP has done an overall great job managing the flows since they took over in June 2024, and it should only get better as they gain experience.
A great Summer/early Fall tactic is to target the first light (about 6am) to the mid/late morning time period in fast water with large #8-10 Stonefly nymphs. The naturals crawl out to emerge at that time of day, and some of them get knocked into the drift. Pair them up with a smaller nymph, something like a Caddis pupa, Walt’s Worm, or small Pheasant Tail/Frenchy. The fast water at pool heads and in between pools is loaded with trout. It’s also more oxygenated and holds more bugs. As I already mentioned in this report, often just going small (#18-22) on your nymphs is the key to success this time of year. Mousing after dark for big trout is popular, and an especially good choice when it’s really hot during the day. A lot of the biggest trout become mainly nocturnal in the summer.
Iso nymphs can swim like a tiny minnow, so play around with dead drifting, swinging, twitching, and even 6-12” strips like a mini streamer. The trout will tell you what they want. You can use a #12 BMAR Iso nymph, or a #12-14 Prince Nymph or Pheasant Tail to imitate this bug. You can also blind fish big Iso dry flies in #10-14. They typically hatch between mid afternoon & dark, but I’ve also seen them here at other times of the day.
Streamers can be a good option during low light (early/late in the day), or when you have high and/or dirty water. As we move into the Fall (starting now), trout will get more aggressive on streamers due to the impending spawn (mid October through November). Make sure to get them down, experiment with different retrieves, change colors, and play with different fly sizes & designs (length, bulk/sparseness, shape, etc.). I usually start with a fast strip his time of year. But if that doesn’t work, slow it down, change your presentation angle, swing them, twitch them, fish them on the dangle- experiment based upon the trout’s reaction (or lack thereof lol). Go smaller if you cannot get eats on bigger patterns. Also try trailing a nymph or wet fly/soft hackle about 18” behind a weighted streamer, very effective for converting follows to eats, and a great way to “nymph” if you aren’t proficient at nymphing.
Assorted Caddis #16-22 will be present daily straight through mid fall, and anglers often overlook them because they are so obsessed with Mayflies. Caddis are most active in the faster water: pool heads, riffles, runs, rapids & pocket water. Trout will gorge on the pupa surface, hint hint. Various nymphs from #6-24 are catching fish. Caddis pupa are working subsurface in #16-22 (olive/green, tan). You can use specific pupa patterns, Walt’s Worms, and Sexy Waltz (has flashy rib & hotspot). On cooler overcast afternoons, we’ve been seeing #20-24 Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s/Olives).
The fast water is currently full of trout, they are literally everywhere. FYI after the CT fisheries sampled the trout population last September (2024), they estimated the trout per mile in the Permanent TMA/C&R at 2,800+ fish- that’s a lot! Tight-line nymphing with one or two weighted nymphs is your best option to probe faster riffles, runs, rapids & pocket water, but Indicator nymphing is effective also. Also hard to go wrong with a #16-22 Pheasant Tail or Frenchy (just a hot-spot PT). FYI, small PT’s work 12 months a year and are a great dropper fly when you are not sure what to put on. From May through October, if I’m nymphing, at some point during the day there will definitely be a Caddis pupa pattern #14-18 on my rig.
Don’t be afraid to explore and fish new water to get away from the crowds, there are literally fish EVERYWHERE, including all the water in between the pools and the lower river (Collinsville, Unionville, Farmington). You are also more apt to get into wild fish when you fish water that isn’t as busy. Wild fish don’t like being constantly disturbed by anglers. The further you go downstream, in general the less anglers you will see- especially if you walk 5-10 minutes away from the easy access points. Most anglers focus on the famous named pools that have easy access, and skip the water in between. The water outside of the Permanent Catch & Release/TMA gets less pressure for the most part.
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Dries:
-Flying
Ants #16-24: typically afternoons/early eves, especially on warmer,
humid days. A September staple. Doesn’t happen every day, but when
it does, it can be epic.
-Assorted Caddis #16-22 (tan,
green/olive, black): Mostly on the smaller side now, various species,
especially Black Caddis. Active mostly in the mornings and evenings,
nymphing with pupa is currently the most productive tactic for them.
They typically egg-lay later in the day in low light, in the faster
water.
-Isonychia #10-14 light late afternoon to evening hatch
in fast water
-Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s/Olives) #20-26:
afternoons & eves, especially during cloudy, cooler weather.
Rusty spinners also in the same sizes at dusk.
-Rusty Spinner
#12-26: imitates the spinner of many different mayflies, including
Iso’s & BWO’s. Most commonly on the water at dusk.
-Light
Cahill/Summer Stenos #12-14: evenings
-Yellow Sally #14-20: Fast
water bug, you will see the shucks all over the downstream side of
rocks in fast water, look like miniature Golden Stones. Mostly a
nymphing deal.
-Summer/Winter Caddis #18-24: hatch is typically
early to mid morning, all year long. Trout focus on the pupa first,
and then as the morning progresses they normally switch to the
winged, egg-laying adults. July/August are peak months for this
morning bug.
-Ants & Beetles #14-20: deadly in the
summertime and early fall
-Attractor Dries #10-16: Mini
Chubbies, Stimulators, Amazon Ants, etc.
-Mouse patterns: fish
after dark for BIG trout, use a short/heavy 0x leader
-Midges
#20-28: afternoons/eves
Nymphs:
-Small
Nymphs #18-24: various patterns, most of the bugs are small to tiny
in September
-Assorted Caddis Pupa #16-22 in various colors
(olive/green, tan). Use specific pupa, plain Walt’s Worms, Sexy
Waltz, Hare’s Ear Blowtorch.
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies #12-22:
imitates a wide range of Mayflies including Sulfurs, Isonychia,
Vitreus, Blue Winged Olives, small Stoneflies, and more.
-Blue
Winged (Baetis) Olive Nymphs #16-22: all year long
-Big Stonefly
Nymphs #8-10: early to mid AM in fast water- golden/yellow, brown,
black, Pat’s
-Isonychia Nymph #10-14: mid afternoon through
eves, fish in fast water. Use BMAR Iso nymph, Keslar’s Iso, also
big Princes & Pheasant Tails
-Yellow Sally Nymph #14-18:
fish in fast water, prevalent in August & September. FYI
yellow/brown Sulfur Nymphs can also work to imitate them.
-Caddis
Larva (olive to green) #14-16: lots of these in the river (most other
rivers too), imitates the common Hydrospyche, good all year
-Attractor Nymphs #14-20: such as Sexy Waltz, Rainbow Warriors,
Frenchies, Prince, Triple Threats, Pink Bead Walt’s Worm/Pheasant
Tails/Hare’s Ear, etc. Often work better than drabber, more
imitative flies, even in the summer in low/clear water.
-Cased
Caddis #10-16: all year, but especially after rain or flow bumps
(higher water knocks them into the drift)
-Winter/Summer Caddis
Larva #18 (yellow)- also imitates Black Caddis larva & some Midge
larva
-Midges #18-22 (black, olive): Zebra Midge, Flash Midge,
Red Iris Midge.
Streamers:
*We
have a lot of new streamer patterns from MT Fly Co in the bins,
including plenty of bigger articulated patterns.
***Don’t
neglect streamers! - top colors have been olive, tan, white, and
black. Black is good on recently stocked trout (especially rainbows),
during low light (first & last light), and high and/or dirty
water.
-Jigged Streamers #8-12: various patterns/colors, deadly
fished on a tight-line/Euro rig, often sorts out bigger fish. Great
to use as a clean-up fly after you nymph a run.
-Ice Picks
(tan, gray, white, yellow): tied by Rich Strolis, a very nice single
hook baitfish pattern
-Woolly Bugger #4-12: assorted colors, try
also Don's Peach Bugger
-Zonker #4-6: a classic fish catcher! In
white, natural
-BMAR Yellow Matuka #6: deadly fall fly! Also
standard Matuka in olive, brown
-Zuddler #4-8: one of our
favorites, in olive, white, brown, black, yellow
-Complex &
Mini Twist Bugger #2-6: assorted colors, very effective
-Muddler
Minnow #6-10: and oldie, but a goodie. Most anglers don’t fish this
classic pattern anymore, and that’s a mistake! Quite a versatile
fly that can be floated, skated, dead-drifted, swung, stripped, or
weighted down & nymphed.