We are open 7 days a week, current hours are:
8am-6pm
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. Wednesday
10am-3pm,
Saturday & Sunday 8am-5pm
We
are still looking for one more part-time employee, someone who knows
the river well, is experienced and knowledgeable about flyfishing,
and has a flexible schedule.
Pictured
up top is Steve
Hogan’s client Kathie with her first trout on a fly rod, what a
great start!
Current
Sale Items:
-Sage
Sonic fly rods 25% off
-Scott G Series fly rods 25% off
-Simms
G3 Waders 20% 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.
The
new 2026
Thomas & Thomas
Contact III+ Euro rods are now available.
We are happy to accept various trade ins toward the III+ to make them
more affordable, and you can also trade in your Contact II. 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 greater accuracy. 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 for
the Contact III+ series that should have you back on the water with a
new tip in a week, instead of the usual 6-8 weeks. Between the
improved damping/recovery, new low profile single foot guides, and
one snake guide (right next to the tip top), you also get
dramatically less tip wrapping with micro leaders.
We are now a Guideline dealer, They are a Scandanavian company that makes some great rods & reels and more. Zach & Derrrick are both BIG fans of their products. We have Euro, dry fly, and streamers rods from them. We also have Guideline Euro leader butt material in 3x to 5x for making micro leaders, plus a cool mini chest pack that you can attach 5 different ways.
Thursday
Morning 6/22/26
River Report:
Hours:
Wednesday 10am-3pm.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8am-6pm. Weekends remain at
8am-5pm. We will stay on this schedule through the end of the
summer.
This
could be a good week to wet wade, with predicted highs ranging from
the upper 80’s and going as high as 100 degrees!!! Wow.
Fortunately, despite lower flows, the water coming out of the dam is
icy cold and in the mid 40’s, and then gradually warms as it
progresses downstream. You do need to be aware of water temps in the
summer, especially during heatwaves like we have coming. Carry a
thermometer and use it regularly so you can stay in cold water. Look
for water temps 68 degrees or less, and DO NOT fish in water that is
70 degrees or higher. Catching trout in warm water is highly
stressful and can easily kill them. Ideally try to find water that is
in the 50’s up to about 65 degrees, that is the optimal range. You
can start somewhat downriver in the morning, but by late morning you
need to start working upstream so you can stay in cool water all day
long. I’d avoid the lower river (Collinsville, Unionville) in the
summer, afternoon temps there can exceed 70 degrees, and even 75+ on
the hottest sunny afternoons. Usually morning in New Hartford and
maybe even Canton are fine, but take water temps and move upstream as
necessary.
A word about taking water temps. I see people
doing it wrong all the time, and this can give you an artificially
high reading. You need to do two things: 1) take the temperature in
moving water, and 2) make sure your thermometer is in the shade when
you take a reading. If you don’t do this and
you take the temp in the slack water along the shoreline that is
exposed to the sun all day,
you can easily get a reading 5+ degrees above what the water temp is
in the current. Some people will tell you taking the surface temp of
the water in the river is
no good, but that is not true. Do to the constant mixing of water
from the turbulence of shallow
riffles, rapids &
pocket water, you cannot
get significant thermal
stratification like you do in lakes, where the surface is way warmer
than
down deep. The max difference you may see in the slowest, deepest
pools is maybe 1 degree between the surface and the bottom. And to
the folks who dispute this and say the bottom layer of pool water is
significantly cooler than the surface (which is completely false), I
would point out that even if this was true (it’s
not)’ you still have to
play your fish in the middle and upper layers of the water column.
Just don’t fish in water where the surface temp is over 68 degrees.
Now that I’ve
scared everybody about water temps, I need to point out that there
are still miles of cold water below the dam on the Farmington River.
It’s coming out of the dam at an ice cold 45 degrees, and then
slowly gets warmer as you progress downstream. It’s coolest in the
mornings, and warmest in the late afternoon. The further downstream
you go, the warmer the water can get on hot, sunny afternoons. Even
during the impending heat wave, you should be fine just about
anywhere in the upper 10 miles or so, which takes you down to just
about where we are in New Hartford. I still recommend carrying a
thermometer in the summer and taking water temps if you are in New
Hartford or below us in Canton. If it’s over 68 degrees, move
upstream until you find water 65 degrees or less. Please don’t fish
down in Collinsville, Unionville and below for trout, it’s too damn
hot down there and can reach 70+ degrees, and even exceed 75 on the
hottest sunny days. There are some sections that may be fine from
first light to about 10am, and then you may need to move upstream to
cooler water. Again, take water temps!!!
There
are miles of trout-filled water outside of the Permanent TMA/C&R,
so as long as water temps are doable, don’t limit yourself to only
that 6 mile section. During hotter weather, it tends to push the
better fishing closer to early/mid mornings & mid/late evenings.
And as you get upriver and closer to the dam the water gets colder,
and you are more apt to see “evening hatches” in the afternoons.
Look for shady areas,
trout will often move to the shady side of the river. The west side
of the river goes into the shade the earliest, and sections with high
ridges on the west side get shade the earliest of all- examples would
be Mathie’s Grove, Campground, most of Riverton starting about ¼
mild above the Rt 20 bridge. Also,
if you can stay in the shadows, it’s harder for the trout to see
you as compared to if you are standing in the bright sun. Wear drab
clothing colors too.
CT
DEEP is being conservative
with water released from the dam due to drought concerns- we
are about 5” short of normal precipitation so far for 2026, and we
finished 2025 6-8” shy of normal.
They are attempting to
maintain a bank of cold
water in the reservoir system so
that they don’t run out of cold water when we really need it in
August & September.
If they were to release
200cfs+ and this drought continues (currently they are releasing
about 110cfs), we could end up at 50cfs by the end of the summer, so
this reduced release is necessary.
Main
bugs are still Sulfurs
&
assorted Caddis, but
Isonychia are a legit hatch that’s working it’s way upriver, at
least as far up as Mathie’s
Grove & the Campground, and likely above that by now.
July is the peak month for
Iso hatches. Don’t
forget about Terrestrials, especially Ants & Beetles, they are
very active now, and will
be even more active during the heat wave.
If they are not rising (often the case), go subsurface with nymph &
wet flies/soft hackles, blind fish an Attractor dry fly, or do a
Dry/Dropper rig with a nymph 18-24” under a buoyant/visible dry.
Don’t go too heavy while
nymphing the current low water conditions, or you will hang bottom
constantly and not catch fish. Plus you don’t need to dredge bottom
this time of year. Streamers
are at their best during first and last light, and at their worst in
the middle of a bright, sunny day. Mousing at night is a good option
for
big brown trout, keep your leader very short and heavy.
We
are in that time of year when the best fishing tends to be early and
late in the day, with evenings being a
peak time for rising fish. But
as you get closer to the dam, evening hatches often occur in early to
mid afternoon. It’s
also the time of year to take water temps and make sure you are
staying in cool enough water. Fortunately,
despite the lack of rain
the reservoir is close to full, and the water released from the dam
is still in the mid 40’s and then slowly rises in temperature as
you go downstream. Temps in Riverton above the Still River have
ranged from mid 40’s to low 50’s, and in the Permanent TMA/Catch
& Release (C&R) temps have been running from the mid 50’s
up to the mid 60’s. As
long as water temps are 68 or
less,you are fine. If it’s
over that, move upstream until you find colder water, with 50 to 65
degrees being optimal. A good strategy is to start in the morning at
the furthest downstream point you intend to fish (make
sure to take a water temp first,
and then move upriver as the day progresses to stay in ideal water
temps.
Hatches remain similar to what they were, but
remember they work their way upstream, with any particular hatch
happening last in Riverton due to the icy cold water coming out of
the dam (mid 40’s). Sulfurs are a mix of #16 Invaria and #18
Dorothea- make sure you have BOTH sizes, trout can be picky on that.
More of an evening hatch, but the further upriver you are the more
the chances you may see an early to mid afternoon hatch of them.
Assorted Caddis going from #16-24 (tan, olive/green, black, gray) are
major players.
Typically most hatching occurs from about mid morning to early
afternoon, and then the adult Caddis come out in the evening to
egg-lay in riffly water. Isonychia are picking up steam, with some
good reports in New Hartford, and working
their way upriver at least
as far as Church Pool and likely above that.
Iso’s are a big #8-12 fast water bug that typically emerge between
late afternoon and dark. You can even blind fish them over likely
looking fast water. July is the big month for this bug, one of my
absolute favorite hatches. Iso’s will continue to hatch right
into the mid fall time period, but they get smaller as the season
progresses.
#10 is about average for them currently, but some are bigger, some
are smaller. Other bugs in the mix include #14 Light Cahills in the
evenings, and #20-22 and smaller Blue Winged Olives (evenings, cloudy
afternoons). #12-14 Vitreus are probably almost done, but there
should still be a few
up in Riverton near the dam.
Total flow downstream
of the Still River is currently low at 131cfs
due to lack of
rain/drought. Riverton is
114cs,
and the Still River is adding in 17cfs
below that. They are being conservative with water releases at the
dam in Riverton (Hogback/Goodwin Dam) due to drought fears this
Summer and a low inflow to Colebrook Reservoir. Currently the water
coming out of the dam is ice cold and in the mid 40’s, gradually
warming up as you travel downstream. Water temps are a non issue on
the upper river,
Riverton has been ranging from mid 40’s in
the early mornings to the
low 50’s in
the late afternoon, and
behind UpCountry in New Hartford the HOBO unit was
reading 59.3
degrees at 8am
this morning, it peaked yesterday at 65.2.
Take water temps to make
sure you are in cool enough water (68 or less, optimal is 50-65),
especially in the afternoons & evenings as you get down closer to
New Hartford & Canton. Doable most mornings, but can potentially
get a little warm in the afternoons & eves some days.
Dry/Dropper
with a Caddis dry and a trailing weighted pupa 1-2’ below can be an
effective combo during a Caddis emergence- they usually take the
pupa, and the dry acts as a suspender/indicator, but sometimes they
eat the dry. Frequently the better dry fly action for Caddis is when
they come back later in the day to egg-lay, usually in the low light
of evenings. And sometimes swinging wet flies/soft hackles is the way
to go when Caddis are hatching and/or egg-laying. On
average, they are
much better/faster swimmers than Mayflies, which is why the takes to
them are often violent and trout will sometimes jump out of the
water. They
also tend to be most active in faster, broken water like riffles,
pool heads, pocket water, etc. When fishing Caddis dries, sometimes
the fish want them dead-drift, but frequently they won’t eat it
unless you twitch/move it, the naturals are very active, not passive
like a Mayfly.
Water level is low for late this time of year, more like what you might see at the end of the summer or the early fall when we haven’t had much rain. On the up side, this means easier wading, access to all the spots, and more fish rising when there is a good hatch (easier/more efficient for them to surface feed when the water is shallower & slower). But, this also means you should be stealthy, dress in drab colors, use a longer/lighter leader with a long tippet (3-6+ feet), and use smaller flies. If you are nymphing use lighter flies/smaller split shot, and smaller Indicators. Try not to send ripples when you wade in slower pool water.
Evenings
are peak time for dry flies, although anytime there are bugs hatching
surface action is a possibility. The closer you are to the dam, the
earlier the evening bugs will start, and they will also end earlier.
Sulfurs are still the June “Glamour Hatch”. 7pm to dark is prime
time to find rising trout in June. Depending upon how far below the
dam you are, the main players in the evenings are Sulfurs #16-18
(emergers, duns,
spinners), assorted Caddis
#16-22, #14 Cahills, and frequently #20-22 Blue Winged Olives &
rusty spinners. Rusty spinners imitate the majority of Mayflies, and
you should have Sulfur spinners too.
As you get closer to
the dam and the water gets icy cold, hatches can happen at weird
times of the day, often earlier in the day than the books say. Warmer
water downstream means the hatches start there first and make their
way upriver. Be prepared to also fish subsurface- just because there
are hatches is no guarantee of dry fly fishing & rising trout.
But…. we are into the peak dry fly time of year, with evenings
being prime time for surface action. Cloudy afternoons have seen
#20-22 and smaller Blue
Winged Olives (BWO’s) hatching, with
trout gently sipping them
off the surface in the flat water. They don’t hatch well on bright
sunny days, it pushes them
to the last hour before dark.
We are getting toward that time of year where the best shot at good
dry fly action tends to shift more toward the evenings, with some
exceptions. Cooler/cloudy days can see the bugs hatch earlier, and
hot/sunny days can push the bugs even closer to dusk.
Caddis
are the main hatch in the mornings; they return in the low light of
evenings to mate & egg-lay over the riffles. Sulfurs are
typically between 7pm and dark, but closer to the dam they often
hatch in early/mid afternoon. Cahills are an evening bug. And
Isonychia normally are on the water between late afternoon through
dusk, but I’ve sometimes seen them hatch as early as late morning.
Most mayfly spinnner falls in early
summer occur in the last
hour of daylight, typically mating in the air and falling over the
riffles and pocket water, with many floating down into the pools.
Hatch times in Riverton in the 2 miles right below the dam can vary
considerably from “normal” due to the abnormally cold water.
Trout do not always rise to hatches, and this seems to
surprise some experienced anglers, which amuses me because it’s
always been the case on every river I’ve fished in my life. Be
prepared to go subsurface with nymphs & pupa. I’ve caught many
thousands of trout over the years nymphing Caddis pupa in the fast
water from May to October, even November. Caddis pupa are like candy
to big trout. Wet flies & soft hackles are also good options if
you don’t want to nymph, I recommend fishing 2 or even 3 at a time,
on tag end droppers. And don’t rule out streamers, especially early
& late in the day, and on rainy days and/or during high or
off-color water.
.
There
are miles of trout-filled water both above and below the 6.2 mile
year round/permanent Catch & Release area. Don’t limit yourself
to only fishing that section, that’s a mistake. There are 4 miles
of TMA above that up to the dam, and another 10 miles of TMA below
that down to the Rt 177 Unionville bridge, and it’s all great water
with lots of trout: stocked, holdover & wild. There is a decent
amount of trout water even below that. The lower river (Collinsville,
Unionville, Farmington) is good until the water gets too warm,
usually around late June/early July, and then it picks up again in
mid/late September when things cool down.
Subsurface
flies that are working include #14-20 Caddis patterns (pupa, larva),
Sulfur Nymphs #16-18, Pheasant Tails/Frenchies #12-22, Isonychia
Nymphs #10-12, #8-10
Stonefly nymphs (mornings), Blue Winged Olive (BWO) nymphs #16-22,
flashy Perdigons #16-22, Rainbow Warrior #16-18, Junk
Flies (Mops, Squirmies, Eggs) can work when the trout aren’t
responding to traditional or more imitative nymphs. Also, remember
there are always
lots of smaller bugs in the river, so things like #18-22 Pheasant
Tails, Hare’s Ears, and Walt’s Worms can be very productive. If
you are nymphing and not catching fish, you are doing something
wrong. Move and cover water, change your weight, change your depth,
experiment with different flies, change sizes, etc. Going smaller
often helps.
****************************************************************************************
Dries:
Smorgasbord time!
-Sulfur
#16 (Invaria) and #18 (Dorothea): Typically hatch between 7pm and
dark, but in the upper river as you get closer to the dam, they
often
hatch in early/mid afternoon/
-Assorted
Caddis (tan, olive/green #16-18, black, gray #18-22): hatching about
mid morning through early/mid afternoon, egg-laying in the low light
of evenings, faster water.
-Isonychia #8-12: lower river
(Collinsville/Unionville) and up at least as far as Church Pool, and
likely further upstream than that now. Fast water bug, usually about
4pm to dark.
-Beetles & Ants #12-20: great option when bugs
are not hatching
-Blue Winged Olives/BWO’s #20-22: afternoon
hatch on cloudy days, also on the water in the last hour of daylight
in flat pool water. Don’t sleep on small #20-22 rusty spinners at
dusk.
-Light Cahill #14: evenings
-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:
Nymphs:
-Caddis
Pupa #14-18 (tan, olive/green)
-Sulfur Nymphs #16-18: you can
use specific imitations, or go generic with Pheasant
Tails/Frenchies
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies #12-22: imitates a
wide range of Mayflies including Sulfurs, Vitreus, Baetis/Blue Winged
Olives, Isonychia, small Stoneflies, Hendricksons, and more
-Small
Nymphs #18-22: try Pheasant Tail’s, Hare’s Ears, Walt’s Worms,
etc. Size is often more important than the exact pattern, and the
bugs get smaller (mostly) in the Summer
-Baetis/BWO Nymphs
#16-22
-Caddis Larva (olive to green) #14-16: tons of these in
the river, good all year
-”Junk Flies” (Eggs, Mops,
Squirmy/San Juan Worms, Green Weenies): Often work when standard
nymphs fail, especially when there aren’t many hatches. Also
great in higher and/or off-color water, and on recently stocked fish.
-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. Good choice when
flows are up. Some days when trout won’t move for a small nymph, it
takes a bigger bite of food to get an eat. Often catches larger than
average fish. Best in early to mid mornings.
-Midges #18-22
(black, olive, red): Zebra Midge, Flash Midge, Red Iris Midge,
etc.
-Attractor Nymphs #14-20: such as Sexy Waltz, Rainbow
Warriors, Frenchies, Prince, Triple Threat, flashy Perdigons, etc.
Some days trout ignore natural/drab nymphs but will eat gaudy
attractors. And some days they prefer drab flies.
-Winter/Summer
Caddis Larva #18 (yellow)
Streamers:
Streamers
are 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. Also, anytime flows are higher or off-color is a great time to
use a streamer.
Top colors currently are 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. Can also be fished under an indicator, or
stripped/swung like a regular streamer. Great to use as a clean-up
fly after you nymph a run.
-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 good fly
-Muddler
Minnow #6-10: an oldie but a goodie, still VERY effective