Tuesday 7/21/15 Report

Fished both yesterday morning and last night. The early morning brought a good assortment of Rusty Spinners #18-22 and Winter/Summer Caddis #22-26 with lots of trout feeding once the fog lifted. Last night brought a great hatch of little Sulphurs #18, along with a good batch of Isonyichia. I was fishing faster water and the rises were scattered and splashy, so I started with an Isonychia dry with a small Pheasant Tail nymph dropped 20" off the back. The pheasant tail dropper took several trout in a short time, matching well the hatching nymph form of the Sulphurs. As it grew darker, the Sulphurs grew thicker on the water but the rise form of the the trout became much more subtle with just a ripple, signaling that they were feeding on the Sulphur Spinners #18. I made the change and caught a few more browns on spinners leading into dark. - Grady

Tommy Baranowski with yet another biggun, I taped his landing net, and this beauty cracked 21" and was caught outside of the Catch & Release area (TMA) on an Isonychia dry. He is part of CT Fish Guides.

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 past 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 are hatching in the faster water, normally from mid-afternoon into the evening 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, warmer days will push things later, and mild/cloudy ones will make things happen earlier. - Torrey

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

 

Effective nymphs include: Hot Spot Nymphs #14-18, Wade's Clinger Nymph #14-16, Yellow Sparkle Prince #14-18, Sulfur Nymph #16, Caddis Pupa & Larva in both tan & olive/green #12-18, Jig nymphs #10-16, Pheasant Tails #16-20, Isonychia Nymphs #10-12, Fox Squirrel Nymph #10-14, Prince Nymph #10-18 are all working well. We are seeing Golden Stonefly nymph husks on the rocks in fast water, so they are active & hatching, and are an especially good nymph choice in the mornings (they emerge at night and in the early to mid morning). FYI big trout LOVE them, use matching nymphs in #6-10 right now, and focus on the faster, rocky water where they live & emerge from. Streamers are working well in the early morning and again toward dark- look for either low light or murky water for best results during this time of the year on the Farmington. Mice, Rats and giant Streamers are working after dusk.  -Torrey