We are open 7 days a week, current hours are:
8am-5pm
Monday & Tuesday, Wednesday
10am-4pm,
8am-5pm Thursday & Friday, and 8am-5pm on Saturday &
Sunday.
*****We
are looking for a part-time employee, someone who knows the river
well and and is knowledgeable about flyfishing*****
Pictured
is once again Jim
DeCesare with a big
FRAA rainbow he landed on Saturday, one of TWO giant rainbows he
landed, plus he also netted a hefty wild brown. Not a bad afternoon
for Jim! His secret? Time on the water, persistence, and frequent
outings.
If
you are planning on attending the
FRAA Banquet this
Saturday 3/7, purchase your tickets ASAP as they
are cutting off ticket sales after
this Thursday 3/5
(the banquet facility needs some lead time to know how much food to
purchase).
Tickets
available for purchase in the store via cash or check, but not
credit/debit cards. Date is Saturday March 7th, cost is $60 per
ticket. We also have the
100 Ticket Raffles for sale. FRAA puts on some of the best banquets
we’ve ever seen, and they do an
amazing
raffle.
We have the brand spanking new Simms
Flyweight Waders
in
stock now, check ‘em out. Super lightweight and fold into their own
pouch for easy carrying.
Current
Sale Items:
-Thomas
& Thomas Contact II Euro rods $499 (were $895): all sizes are now
completely sold out. The
all new Contact III+ is debuting sometime in March
-Scott
G Series fly rods $660 (30% off, were $945)
-Thomas & Thomas
Lotic fiberglass rods $450 (were $695)
-Sage Sonic fly rods 25%
off
-Scott G Series fly rods 25% off
-Simms G3 Waders 20%
off
-Simms Confluence Waders 35% off
-Scientific Angler
Amplitude Smooth Trout fly lines 20% off
-All
Airflo fly lines are 40% off
***Sales
apply only to
in-stock merchandise and can be bought in-store, or on the website &
shipped to your door - call with any questions***
Gift
Certificates are available and can be sent by mail or bought on our
website.
We
will match most
advertised deals
from other stores local or on the internet if we have the item in
stock. We want your business, and as your friends and local fly shop
please come to us first if we can help. Our business only survives
because of your support.
We
are now accepting pre-orders for the first batch of Thomas &
Thomas Contact III+ Euro rods that will be available starting
sometime around mid February/early March.
We are also happy to accept various trade ins toward the III+ to make
them more affordable, and you can also trade in your Contact II.
UpCountry will be one of the first stores in the country to receive
these rods limited to an initial run of 500 nationwide, so get in
line by giving us a call now, a $100 deposit will reserve a rod for
you- we expect this first batch to sell out fast. T&T brought
these rods to us recently, and we were blown away. They have two
different tips, including a solid one that enables you to more easily
cast lighter flies, cushion lighter tippet, fish thin Micro Leaders,
and it also makes it harder for smaller fish to throw the hook. The
Contact III+ is made of a new material that’s twice as strong and
recovers noticeably faster/crisper. This will translate into more
casting distance, more accuracy, and greater sensitivity. With the
included second tip, it's like getting two rods in one. Lengths
remain the same at 10' & 10'9" with the exception of the new
11’ 5“ 3wt (3" longer). If you break a rod tip on these, T&T
has an expedited repair program that should have you back on the
water with a new tip inside of a week or so.
Monday
Morning 3/2/26
River
Report:
*****We
are looking for a part-time employee, someone who knows the river
well and and is knowledgeable about flyfishing*****
Don’t
forget to get a 2026 CT fishing license, you will need a new one as
of January 1st. You
can get a license here at UpCountry, on the CT DEEP website, or you
can get one in person at most town halls. Don’t forget to also
purchase the $5 Trout Stamp, you need it to fish the Farmington River
and any other river that is a TMA (Trout Management Area).
If
you are planning on attending the
FRAA Banquet this
Saturday 3/7, purchase your tickets ASAP as they
are cutting off ticket sales after
this Thursday 3/5
(the banquet facility needs some lead time to know how much food to
purchase). Tickets
are available
for purchase in the store via cash or check, but not credit/debit
cards. Date is Saturday March 7th, cost is $60 per ticket. We also
have the
100 Ticket Raffles for sale. FRAA puts on some of the best banquets
we’ve ever seen, and they do an
amazing raffle.
Although
it once again feels like Winter today (16 degrees at 8am, high of
32), starting Wednesday and
going forward it is going
to feel
like full blown Spring! Highs go into the 50’s, and even the 60’s
next week. Combined with some showers, this should take out most of
the snow (we still have a lot of snow cover on the ground). I
think
we are ALL looking forward to mild weather and the snow going away.
Flows are still on the lower side, but I imagine the snowmelt will
pump some good water back into the river and help to refill Colebrook
River Lake. This should
also thaw out the Still River USGS flow gauge, which has been frozen
and not reading most of this Winter.
Expect
to see the bigger #12-16 Early Black Stoneflies soon, March is the
big month for that bug.
We continue to see plenty of the smaller #18-24 Capnia (Tiny Black
Winter Stonefly) on
mild/sunny afternoons.
Fishing is still a grind, but the trout are high quality and a large
average size (mid to upper
teens, with some in the
20” plus range). Be patient, as hours of slow fishing can suddenly
turn on when a bite window opens up. Most major parking lots are
clear of snow, but most of the pull offs are snowed in. The river is
fishable from the dam down through New Hartford and even some spots
downstream of that. I’d expect it to melt out later
this week when the Spring
temperatures move in to stay.
Pick likely looking water and fish it thorougly, slow & deep with
nymphs and streamers. Trout won’t move far to eat in icy water, so
make lots of casts in the higher percentage spots, and set the hook
on ANYTHING suspicious. Strikes are usually very subtle this
time of year. Winter
Caddis hatches are ramping up lately, and some fish have been surface
feeding on them in the mornings. Hope for rising trout, but expect to
fish subsurface.
A #18 BMAR Winter Stonefly or a black
Zebra Midge in those sizes can imitate the
Capnia, but sometimes I
find I do better on other nymphs that look nothing like a small black
Stone, so pair that up with another nymph pattern. If nothing else,
bugs in the drift get the trout out of hiding & feeding. They may
move into the riffles in the afternoons when there are insects in the
subsurface drift.
For you fly tyers, Hareline
& Wapsi fly tying
material orders
arrived recently.
The
flow gauge on the Still River is frozen, but
should thaw out later this week after
the nice weather moves in.
The dam is reading 84cfs
at the Rt 20 bridge, that’s a low flow (historical normal flow
would be 181cfs). I’m guessing Still River at about 70-80cfs, which
would put the total flow below that in the Permanent TMA/Catch &
Release at about 160cfs (historical normal total flow for today would
be 386cfs).
Riverton water temp this morning is 34 degrees, it peaked Sunday
afternoon at 39 degrees. Behind UpCountry (11 miles below the dam)
the water temp is 31.4
degrees this morning, it peaked yesterday afternoon at 36. Unionville
USGS streamflow gauge remains
frozen.
I’d
recommend focusing on mid morning through mid afternoon when water
temps bump up a bit. Fish slow & deep, as trout are lethargic
when water temps are in the 30’s. Expect most eats to be subtle, so
set the hook on anything. Cycle between small nymphs #16-22 (Midges &
Mayflies), Junk Flies (Eggs, Mops, Worms), streamers, and fish them
all slow & deep. In the mornings (roughly 7am to 10am’ish) you
may find some trout rising to Winter Caddis, and during sunny
afternoons, if you are lucky there may be a few trout rising to
Capnia Stoneflies (Tiny Winter Black Stones) or Midges. Cold water
strikes can be VERY subtle, so set the hook on anything. Remember,
“hook sets are free”.
If you catch a bite window when
the trout decide to actively feed, double digit catches are sometimes
possible for skilled anglers who know the river well and are good
nymphers. Lately though, anglers are working very hard for each and
every bite. You have to be in the right spot (the “spot within the
spot”), at the right time, with the correct flies, rigging &
technque. Currently the best time overall seems to be mid/late
morning to mid/late afternoon, when water temps rise and are at their
highest. It’s also the most pleasant time of day to be outside.
Some days it can be earlier than this though, especially if you have
milder night/morning. Jigged streamers fished slow & deep are
also a good choice when nymphs aren’t producing, and white has been
an above average streamer color this Winter. Water temps are cold
(30’s), so focus on presenting your nymphs & streamers slow and
deep.
Small nymphs are often the key to subsurface success in the Winter, and by small I mean #18’s all the way down to #22-24. Exception could be large Stoneflies #8-10 (golden, brown, black), Mops, Egg flies and Worm patterns. Most nymphs are small to very small right now, with some exceptions. Both Midges and Winter Caddis are small, and most other nymphs/larva are immature and still small in late Winter. Tiny Winter Black Stoneflies run #18-24. Some days fly size can make a big difference. Nymphing is typically the ticket in the Winter, with fish coming to flies like Egg patterns #14-18, and #14-22 nymphs such as Pheasant Tails/Frenchies and Walt’s Worms. Other good Winter nymphs include Midges #18-22 (black, olive, red), small flashy Perdigons, Rainbow Warrior #16-18, Prince #10-14, Caddis Larva, Mops, and nymphs with pink beads (PT’s, Walt’s, Hare’s Ears, etc.).
Some
days there can be a good decent streamer bite. Cold water temps means
you typically need to slow down your streamer presentations and get
them deep. The easier you make it for the trout to eat, the more
strikes you will get on streamers. Steamers fished under an
Indicator can sometimes get you a big Winter brown trout, and jig
streamers tight-lined on a Euro rig can be very effective. Dead-drift
them, but also occasionally twitch/pop your indicator to give your
streamer a little movement. Top colors are white, olive, and
tan.
When water temps are in the 30’s (now), look for
most of the trout in Winter lies. That means deeper, slower water
like pools, softer runs, and deeper moderate riffles. Be aware that
during afternoons when the water temps bump up a little, trout will
commonly move into the riffles and into the current to feed at the
pool heads. There are often bite windows in the Winter, when all of a
sudden after slow fishing, the trout feed actively subsurface for 1-3
hours, so be patient & persistent. Colder water means less bug
activity and less feeding by the trout, so expect to work for trout
this time of year. Trout normally will only move inches for your fly
in icy cold water. Having said that, I’ve had some surprisingly
productive days in the Winter. Fish will pod up in groups, and if you
can locate the pod and catch a bite window, you can do well some
days. Keep your expectations reasonable though. Work the high
percentage water more thoroughly with extra casts, because in the
Winter trout normally won’t move far at all for your fly. Slow &
deep for your nymphs and streamers, and set the hook on anything,
even just gut instinct.
If you are headed out fishing
this time of year, in general there is no need to get out there at
the crack of dawn. Give the water a few hours to warm up one or two
degrees, that’s all it takes to get the trout feeding. The
exception would be the Winter Caddis hatch, which goes on all Winter
in the early to mid mornings (7am to 10pm would be typical, but it
can vary). Sometimes also, you can get a mid-morning streamer bite
before the nymph fishing turns on. Other than that, I wouldn’t
venture out before 9 or 10am, and I’d expect the best fishing to be
late morning through mid/late afternoon, when water temps rise and
are at their highest for the day. Sunny days are best of all, they
warm the water up more than overcast weather. The general rule of
thumb with trout is, fish at the time of day when air temps are the
most comfortable for you, and it’s 90% accurate. The exception to
warm days being best of all is when there is a decent amount of snow
on the ground. Warm sunny days can melt the snow and send ice water
into the river, dropping water temps by lunchtime and totally
shutting down the afternoon bite. Sunny days with highs in the 30’s
or less are better when we have significant snow cover on the ground.
Midges and
Tiny
Winter Black Stoneflies (Capnia)
#18-24
are
the
afternoon hatches
now. Early
to mid mornings, Winter
Caddis
#18-24 is the bug.
*******************************************************************************
Dries:
-Summer/Winter
Caddis #18-24: hatch is typically early to mid morning. Trout focus
on the pupa first, and then as the morning progresses they normally
switch to the winged adults when they return to egg-lay. Try both
twitching & dead-drifting your fly, trout often key on movement
with this bug.
-Midges #20-28: afternoon hatch, especially on
sunny/milder days. Sometimes brings trout to the surface. If not, go
subsurface with Midge pupa & larva.
-Tiny Winter Black
Stoneflies (Capnia) #18-24: sunny afternoons
Nymphs:
-Small
Nymphs #18-24: various patterns, most of the bugs are small to tiny
this time of year, with size of the fly often superseding the exact
fly pattern.
-Midges #18-22 (black, olive, red): Zebra Midge,
Flash Midge, Red Iris Midge, etc.
-BMAR Winter Stonefly
#18
-Blue Winged Olive (Baetis/BWO) Nymphs #16-22: all year
long
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies #14-22: imitates a wide range of
Mayflies including Sulfurs, Isonychia, Vitreus, Blue Winged Olives,
small Stoneflies, and more.
-”Junk Flies” (Eggs, Mops,
Squirmy/San Juan Worms, Green Weenies): Can work when standard nymphs
fail, especially in the Winter when there are not many hatches. Also
great in higher and/or off-color water.
-Big Stonefly Nymphs
#8-10: golden/yellow, brown, black, Pat’s. Big Stones are a
mouthful that can be hard for trout to pass up, and there are a
surprising amount of them in the river. Some days in the Winter when
trout won’t move for a small nymph, it takes a bigger bite of food
to get an eat. Experiment!
-Caddis Larva (olive to green)
#14-16: tons of these in the river, good all year, especially in the
Winter.
-Attractor Nymphs #10-20: such as Sexy Waltz, Rainbow
Warriors, Frenchies, Prince, Triple Threat, etc. Some Winter days
trout ignore natural/drab nymphs but will eat gaudy attractors.
-Winter/Summer Caddis Larva #18 (yellow)- also imitates Black
Caddis larva & some Midge larva, works all year long, and one of
the only bugs that is active & hatching in the Winter.
Streamers:
The
low-light conditions of early & late in the day are prime time
for streamers, as are overcast days and periods of higher and/or
off-color water. Streamers are also a great “clean-up” fly to
fish after you have thoroughly nymphed a run, and often will produce
a bigger fish than the nymphs did.
Top
colors have been white, olive, tan. A little yellow paired with
another color (olive, tan, etc.) in a streamer can trigger brown
trout. Black can be good on recently stocked trout (especially
rainbows), during low light (dawn/dusk), and high and/or dirty
water.
-Jig 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. White has been
a top color this Winter, and olive and tan are both good.
-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 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