Guide Zach St. Amand with a distinctly marked Farmington River brown trout that he located earlier and finally caught this past week. We are currently stocked to the gills with fly tying materials, new rod/reels, new Simms products, and all sorts of other cool stuff. Quite a few good fishing reports this weekend, with dries, nymphs, wets & streamers all catching at moments. The Winter Caddis sz 18-24 is coming on strong in the early/mid mornings now, and Blue Winged Olives (BWOs/Olives) sz 24-26 are hatching well in early/mid afternoons. Tiny Midges are in the mix too. Conditions remain about the same, with the flow low but fishable at 91cfs total flow in the permanent Catch & Release/TMA (57cfs
at Riverton USGS gauge, plus 34cfs from the Still River). Water temps have been averaging mid/upper 30's, reaching into 40's on milder/sunny afternoons.Streamers remain very effective at moments, espeically during low-light conditions- experiment with colors & retrieves to find what's "hot" at any given moment (it changes!). FYI a nymph or soft-hackle trailed off the hook bend 18" behind a weighted streamer is still a great fish catching rig. Typically the smaller trailing fly catches the majority of the trout, but some days the streamer does most of the business. See down 3 paragraphs below for our Hoiday specials.
Effective nymphs include: smaller nymphs sz 16-22 (Midges, Baetis, Quasimodo Pheasant Tails, Hot Spot Attractors, Rainbow Warriors, etc.) and Caddis Pupa sz 16-18 (tan, brown) and Larva sz 14-16 (olive/green). Egg patterns are very effective, so make sure to have some egg flies (small Glo Bugs/Sucker Spawn/Otter Eggs) in your arsenal. Although smaller nymphs have been more consistent than bigger ones, don't rule out Stonefly Nymphs sz 8-14 (brown, golden/yellow, black), sometimes they will pull bigger fish.
The MDC did their fall trout stocking in early November. This batch was stocked in the upper river from the Goodwin/Hogback Dam in Riverton downstream to Whittemore Pool.
The Holidays are now upon us. This season please think of the small businesses that you frequent and support them. UpCountry values your business and has some holiday specials to share with you. Simms Headwater Waders are now $249.99.... $100 off. Hardy Lightweight series reels are now $120.00.....reg price was $249.99. Simms Tee Shirts size large are buy one get one free. Korkers Whitehorse Wading Boots $120.....reg priced $179.99. We have a limited selection of Simms & Umpqua Packs and Vests 40% off. In addition to these items, UpCountry will price match just about any sale or deal you can find on the internet.... we appreciate your business and recognize that sometimes a deal will pop up online that you can't resist.... just bring it to our attention.
UpCountry has recently acquired a ton of Simms closeouts that are on sale. There is a yuuuge selection of Mens & Womens: Gore-tex jackets, packs, slings, shirts, pants, tee shirts, and a few shoes/wading boots/waders. Sizes are limited (the Men's is mostly in Large, and the Women's is all in Medium) and there are only a couple of each item so when they are gone they are gone.
We are always looking for good trade-in fly rods and reels to sell on our website. If you are looking for some new equipment we will gladly put the value of your used gear toward new items in our store. Give us a call to make an appointment.... our prices on trade ins are typically higher than found anywhere else.
If you like our fishing report, please consider buying your gear from us. We generally ship the same day, for free anywhere in the country on all but the smallest orders. Our shop can only exist with your patronage.