Local guide Zack with a beautiful brown caught on a Hendrickson spinner. Notice the intact adipose fin and great fins, this is a possible wild trout. Warm to hot weather here now for the next few days has boosted water temps, and has the hatches cranking at moments, often at oddball times of the day. We've been seeing the normal spinner falls in the evenings and mid/late afternoon Hendrickson hatches, but we've also seen spinners on the water in the mid/late morns and early afternoons. Plenty of assorted Caddis out, plus Olives & Blue Quills/Mahogany Duns. The Farmington is currently a very wadeable & medium/low 264cfs
total flow through the catch & release area. At 3pm the release from the dam will be increased by 70cfs (from 150 to 220), cutting back to 150cfs by Sunday morning. The
C&R section was stocked last week
with thousands of trout trout, including 1,000 Two Year Old Survivor
Strain brown
trout which average over 16 inches and some of which are bigger and top
out at 3 1/2 to 4 pounds- they put in some hefty trout this year. Trout are being caught on the surface using a combination
of
Hendricksons (sz 12-14), Hendrickson Spinnners (sz 12-14), Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), Tan Caddis (sz
16-18), Blue Wing Olives (sz
16-24), and Mahogany Duns/Blue Quill (sz 16-18). Heaviest angling pressure has been in the TMA, but it also holds the most fish and the most holdovers/wild fish. Outside of the TMA sees a bit less pressure, but still plenty of trout. Most anglers focus on the major pools, so if you fish the "In Between Water" you should be able to get more elbow room.The Hendrickson hatch should be heavy in the TMA over the next few days or so with the warm to hot weather here through next Tuesday. We have been experiencing Hendricksons (sz 12-14), and Mahogany Dun/Blue Quill (sz 16-18) spinnerfalls in both the morning and in the afternoon. Caddis of all sizes are catching trout throughout the day. Trout are currently being caught via all methods: wets, dries, nymphs & streamers with many big fish have been landed over the past week, both holdovers & recently stocked two years.
Subsurface,
Hendrickson nymphs (sz 12-14) Golden Stoneflies (sz 8-12), Pheasant
Tails (sz
12-18), Olive/Green Caddis Larva (sz 14-16), Princes (sz 12-18), and Yellow Sparkle Prince
(sz 12-16) have been working well, Flashy/attractor-type nymphs, have
been working well on the recently stocked
trout and on the occasional holdover.
Streamers such as Rich Strolis's Ice Pick are still landing some of the truly giant trout, but unlike a couple of weeks ago when the waters were cold, they should be more aggressively fished in the shallower quick water between the pools, targeting rocks, cutbanks, downed trees and other river debris that create current breaks for the trophies to hold behind. Smaller streamers, such as the famous Wooly Bugger are catching many trout by letting them sink into the deep pools then retrieving with short (two foot or so) quick strips. As always, the key to fishing streamers is to keep moving.... you are triggering the most aggressive trout into attacking, if nothing happens after a few casts, its time to move a few feet to throw into some virgin water. Also play with colors & sizes, it can make a BIG difference. The low light periods of early & late ate the prime times to target bigger trout with streamers, overcast or rainy days too.
UpCountry Sportfishing is always looking for good used fly fishing gear for cash and trade. This is how we get those great items we list on our website and you see on our racks. We buy fly rods, reels, quality classic bamboo, and fly tying equipment etc. Bring in your old items and we can help turn them into something new. Call ahead for an appointment at 860-379-1952.
Streamers such as Rich Strolis's Ice Pick are still landing some of the truly giant trout, but unlike a couple of weeks ago when the waters were cold, they should be more aggressively fished in the shallower quick water between the pools, targeting rocks, cutbanks, downed trees and other river debris that create current breaks for the trophies to hold behind. Smaller streamers, such as the famous Wooly Bugger are catching many trout by letting them sink into the deep pools then retrieving with short (two foot or so) quick strips. As always, the key to fishing streamers is to keep moving.... you are triggering the most aggressive trout into attacking, if nothing happens after a few casts, its time to move a few feet to throw into some virgin water. Also play with colors & sizes, it can make a BIG difference. The low light periods of early & late ate the prime times to target bigger trout with streamers, overcast or rainy days too.
UpCountry Sportfishing is always looking for good used fly fishing gear for cash and trade. This is how we get those great items we list on our website and you see on our racks. We buy fly rods, reels, quality classic bamboo, and fly tying equipment etc. Bring in your old items and we can help turn them into something new. Call ahead for an appointment at 860-379-1952.