Tommy with yet another biggun, this is a different (and bigger!) fish than the one we posted a few days ago. I taped his landing net, and this beauty cracked 21" and was caught outside of the Catch & Release area (TMA) on an Isonychia dry. Great fish, this definitely grew to size in the river. Nice job Tommy! He is part of CT Fish Guides. Today (Monday) will be hot again, high of 90 degrees with a mix of sun & clouds. Normally the Needhami's, a small chocolate brown Mayfly, would have already started by early July, but they just began in the Catch & Release section this weekend, with reports of a heavy hatch Saturday. Normal time frame is about 7am to 1pm- first the spinners (normally), then the duns. Size range is typically #22-26.
Isonychia ("Iso's") are hatching in the faster water, normally from late afternoon into the evening- on hot days like today & tomorrow (Monday/Tuesday) they may start later and go until dark. This is probably my all-time favorite hatch, it is a big bug (#10-12) that fishes great with dries, nymphs & wets, and it gets big fish feeding on top in the daylight, often in fast, shallow water. Just like with other hatches, hotter days will push things later, and mild/cloudy ones will make things happen earlier.
We just put out a bunch of closeout Hardy & Scientific Angler fly lines on the sale table, check 'em out before they are all gone.
The river is 318cfs from the dam in Riverton, 362cfs through the Catch & Release area- this is an excellent, medium level. Water temps have been cool, enabling you to fish from the dam all the way down to Unionville. Depending upon distance from dam, time of day and daily weather, water temps have been running upper 40's to low/mid 60's. Winter/Summer Caddis #18-22 have been a moderate hatch early morning to 11am, with adults on the water in the late afternoon and evening. Blue Wing Olives (BWOs) have been a major hatch in the evenings, averaging a #18-20, with smaller ones on the water at moments too. Have a #18-20 rusty spinner ready to match the BWO spinners right before dark (unlike the olive duns, the spent adults change to a rusty color). Sulfurs are hatching well upriver, but getting lighter as you go downriver. Ants & Beetles are working well during the day. Streamers are effective during low-light conditions (early & late or cloudy/rainy days), play with color, size & presentation for best results. You can also try pounding shady banks with them in the daytime- look for structure where big trout hideout in the daytime, features such as cut banks, downed trees, overhanging limbs, big rocks, etc. -Torrey
We will be adding lots of closeout, demo, and used rods to the website
this week as time permits. Believe it or not, another tackle season is
upon us and new products trickle in starting around the end of the month
so we have to make room and clear out the old. All of the clearance
items will begin appearing today on the Used Gear & Specials page.