Friday, June 26, 2015

Friday 6/26/15 Report

The Farmington is currently 433cfs and clear going through the Catch & Release area. The Farmington from the dam in Riverton, downstream to the confluence of the Still River is 314cfs. Fished last night to a great hatch of Sulphur Duns #16-18. Caught eight trout in a couple of hours from 7pm to dark on a combination of Sulphur Parachute and Sulphur Spinners. Mixed in were some Lt Cahill #12, Isonychia #10-12, and larger Blue Wing Olives #16-18. Sulphurs #16-18 are the hot story right now and are out throughout the afternoon and evening. Sulphur Spinners #16-18 are out in quantity from 8:30pm. Terrestrals such as ants & beetles have been producing good catches in the late morning and afternoon. Blue Wing Olives #20-24, Rusty Spinners #20-24 and Lt Cahill #12-14 on the water also along with some remaining March Browns. Isonychia are out in decent numbers downriver in the Canton through Unionville stretch, and a few are popping up here on the upper river. In the C&R section, Winter/Summer Caddis #18-22 have been hatching well early morning to 11am, with adults on the water in the late afternoon and evening.  -Grady

Top picture is Wade Schools with a measured 20" plus perfect specimen of big Farmington River brown trout, caught on a nymph. It took him 200 feet downstream through fast water during the fight. Wade ties flies for UpCountry, and he just dropped off some deadly looking Sulfur nymphs. The second picture, with a fat brown has a hand in it that belongs to Andy Lyons- he caught 7 like that in the morning alone, wow. It is typical of what the large Two Year Old browns look like, 1,000 were stocked in April by CT DEEP fisheries in the Catch & Release/TMA area. They average 14-18", are very fat, have a clipped adipose and a dye mark behind the left eye (color varies according to year stocked). Some that were stocked this year were up to 20", I caught one last week that taped 19.5".  -Torrey

Subsurface: Hot Spot Nymphs, Yellow Sparkle Prince #14-16, Caddis Pupa & Larva in both tan & olive/green #14-16, Pheasant Tails #14-20, Fox Squirrel Nymph #10-14, Prince Nymph #10-16 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. 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

 UpCountry has just received a huge closeout of Hardy Zenith and Hardy Proaxis X fly rods- these are literally flying out the door, so don't wait or they will all be gone. As anyone who has been in earshot of me over the last few years knows, these are my absolutely favorite fly rods. These rods use Sintrix, a technology licensed from 3M which makes them stronger and nearly unbreakable under normal fishing conditions. You can find them in our flyshop or in our online store at a great discount. - Grady