8am-6pm Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm on Saturday & Sunday.
We recently picked up a collection of inexpensive used fly rods, about 20 rods total ranging from 4 to12 weight, all $100 or less.
The new Thomas & Thomas Avantt II fly rods arrived in March, and they have really impressed us. Slightly more flex in the tip, plenty of power in the mid & lower sections, with fantastic crisp recovery and a low swing weight.
Pictured up top is 9 year old William Buonocore with a trophy 22” rainbow stocked in late April by the FRAA, caught on a BMAR olive/green Caddis pupa.
We recently picked up a collection of inexpensive used fly rods, about 20 rods total ranging from 4 to12 weight, all $100 or less.
The new Thomas & Thomas Avantt II fly rods arrived in March, and they have really impressed us. Slightly more flex in the tip, plenty of power in the mid & lower sections, with fantastic crisp recovery and a low swing weight.
Pictured up top is 9 year old William Buonocore with a trophy 22” rainbow stocked in late April by the FRAA, caught on a BMAR olive/green Caddis pupa.
Friday Afternoon 5/10 3pm Flow Update:
Just received the email, per the Army Corps of Engineers at 12 noon today the dam release in Riverton was increased from 162 to 400cfs for "Colebrook storage control, reflective of inflow/forecast". The Still River is adding in 190cfs, giving us a total flow of about 640cfs below that in the Permanent TMA/C&R. It should stay at this level through the weekend, with the Still River slowly going down each day. This makes the river medium high, but still very fishable. Expect to fish mainly subsurface with nymphs, wets/soft hackles, and streamers. Flow increases push trout closer to the bank. Select pools like Beaver & Church will likely still have risers.
Friday Morning 5/10 Conditions:
We are open until 6pm on weekdays now, still 5pm on weekends, opening at 8am every day. 378cfs total flow in the Permanent TMA/C&R, very wadeable, very fishable. Goodwin/HogbackDam down to the Rt 20 bridge is medium/normal at198cfs, with the Still River adding in 180cfs below that. Riverton water temps are ranging from mid to upper 40’s, and downstream has been averaging low to mid 50’s during the afternoons. Flows are normal, medium- good for wading, good for fishing. You will see a very small flow bump from the rain Thursday night, but the rain is done and we didn’t get enough to significantly change things.
Assorted #14-18 Caddis are the main hatch on the river, Hendricksons are basically done other than possible spinner falls in the upper river (say Campground to the dam in Riverton). Spinners go up to a week after the hatch ends, but they need mild air temps, no rain, and minimal wind. Caddis are all up & down the river, hatching in light to moderate numbers up to the Still River, with a lighter hatch up in Riverton. Good numbers of Craneflies have been hatching, they are light colored and some people mistake them for a Sulfur/Vitreus. Overcast days are also seeing decent hatches of #18-20 Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s) in the afternoons. Trout don’t always rise to hatches, so be prepared to go subsurface with Caddis pupa, wet flies/soft hackles, and streamers. Also try BWO nymphs #16-20 (especially on overcast days), #14-18 Pheasant Tails/Frenchies and other assorted nymphs. Mops are always worth a try, especially as a clean up fly after you nymph a run, or if trout are not responding to your usual patterns.
Assorted Caddis seem are the main bug: olive/green #16-18 along with tan in #14-18 are the two most common ones. Nymphing with Caddis Pupa can be deadly when they are active, target current breaks in faster water. When they come back to egg lay (typically later in the day), that’s when you are most apt to see trout rising to them. Swinging wet flies & soft hackles are often very effective when Caddis are hatching or egg-laying. Nymphing with a variety of different patterns is a consistent tactic. Try a pair of nymphs, with one attractor/gaudier type fly, and another that is more imitative. Streamers, especially jigged ones on a Euro rig, have been been catching some nice trout- try olive, tan, black, white. Experiment with how you present your streamer to the fish: dead-drift, twitched, swung, and various retrieves.
The Still River runs warmer (50’s currently), while the water from the dam is coming out in the mid 40’s. This makes hatches happen later in Riverton above the Still River. Hatches start in the lower river, move up into the permanent TMA/Catch & Release, and then up above the Still into Riverton.
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Hatches/Dries:
-Caddis #14-18 (olive/green, tan): hatching from the lower river all the way up through the permanent TMA/C&R, with a few up in Riverton
-Blue Wing Olive #18-20: cloudy afternoons
-Craneflies #14-16
-Vitreus #12-14: just starting, mainly lower river (Collinsville/Unionville)
Friday Morning 5/10 Conditions:
We are open until 6pm on weekdays now, still 5pm on weekends, opening at 8am every day. 378cfs total flow in the Permanent TMA/C&R, very wadeable, very fishable. Goodwin/HogbackDam down to the Rt 20 bridge is medium/normal at198cfs, with the Still River adding in 180cfs below that. Riverton water temps are ranging from mid to upper 40’s, and downstream has been averaging low to mid 50’s during the afternoons. Flows are normal, medium- good for wading, good for fishing. You will see a very small flow bump from the rain Thursday night, but the rain is done and we didn’t get enough to significantly change things.
Assorted #14-18 Caddis are the main hatch on the river, Hendricksons are basically done other than possible spinner falls in the upper river (say Campground to the dam in Riverton). Spinners go up to a week after the hatch ends, but they need mild air temps, no rain, and minimal wind. Caddis are all up & down the river, hatching in light to moderate numbers up to the Still River, with a lighter hatch up in Riverton. Good numbers of Craneflies have been hatching, they are light colored and some people mistake them for a Sulfur/Vitreus. Overcast days are also seeing decent hatches of #18-20 Blue Winged Olives (BWO’s) in the afternoons. Trout don’t always rise to hatches, so be prepared to go subsurface with Caddis pupa, wet flies/soft hackles, and streamers. Also try BWO nymphs #16-20 (especially on overcast days), #14-18 Pheasant Tails/Frenchies and other assorted nymphs. Mops are always worth a try, especially as a clean up fly after you nymph a run, or if trout are not responding to your usual patterns.
Assorted Caddis seem are the main bug: olive/green #16-18 along with tan in #14-18 are the two most common ones. Nymphing with Caddis Pupa can be deadly when they are active, target current breaks in faster water. When they come back to egg lay (typically later in the day), that’s when you are most apt to see trout rising to them. Swinging wet flies & soft hackles are often very effective when Caddis are hatching or egg-laying. Nymphing with a variety of different patterns is a consistent tactic. Try a pair of nymphs, with one attractor/gaudier type fly, and another that is more imitative. Streamers, especially jigged ones on a Euro rig, have been been catching some nice trout- try olive, tan, black, white. Experiment with how you present your streamer to the fish: dead-drift, twitched, swung, and various retrieves.
The Still River runs warmer (50’s currently), while the water from the dam is coming out in the mid 40’s. This makes hatches happen later in Riverton above the Still River. Hatches start in the lower river, move up into the permanent TMA/Catch & Release, and then up above the Still into Riverton.
*********************************************************************
Hatches/Dries:
-Caddis #14-18 (olive/green, tan): hatching from the lower river all the way up through the permanent TMA/C&R, with a few up in Riverton
-Blue Wing Olive #18-20: cloudy afternoons
-Craneflies #14-16
-Vitreus #12-14: just starting, mainly lower river (Collinsville/Unionville)
-Ants #12-18: getting very active lately
-Summer/Winter Caddis#18-24: hatching in early to mid morning, all year long
-Midges #22-28: afternoons through dusk
Nymphs & Wet Flies/Soft Hackles:
-Caddis Pupa #14-18 (olive/green, tan)
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies#12-20
-Wet Flies & Soft Hackles #12-16: assorted colors/patterns
-Junk Flies (Eggs, Mops, Squirmy Worms, Green Weenie)
-Blue Winged Olive Nymphs #16-20, good all year
-Zebra Midge #18-22: black, olive, red
-Winter/Summer Caddis Larva #18
-Caddis Larva (olive to green) #14-16
-Attractor Nymphs #14-20: such as, Rainbow Warriors, Frenchies, Prince, Triple Threats, Pink Bead Walt’s Worm, etc.
Streamers:
-Jigged Streamers #8-12: various patterns/colors, deadly fished on a tight-line/Euro rig, often sorts out bigger fish. Great to use as a clean-up fly after you nymph a run.
-Ice Picks (tan, gray, white, yellow): tied by Rich Strolis, a very nice single hook baitfish pattern
-Wooly Bugger #4-12: assorted colors, try also Don's Peach Bugger
-Zonker #4-6: a classic fish catcher! In white, natural
-BMAR Yellow Matuka #6: deadly fly! Also standard Matuka in olive, brown
-Zuddler #4-8: one of our favorites, in olive, white, brown, black
-Complex & Mini Twist Bugger #2-6: assorted colors, very effective
-Summer/Winter Caddis#18-24: hatching in early to mid morning, all year long
-Midges #22-28: afternoons through dusk
Nymphs & Wet Flies/Soft Hackles:
-Caddis Pupa #14-18 (olive/green, tan)
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies#12-20
-Wet Flies & Soft Hackles #12-16: assorted colors/patterns
-Junk Flies (Eggs, Mops, Squirmy Worms, Green Weenie)
-Blue Winged Olive Nymphs #16-20, good all year
-Zebra Midge #18-22: black, olive, red
-Winter/Summer Caddis Larva #18
-Caddis Larva (olive to green) #14-16
-Attractor Nymphs #14-20: such as, Rainbow Warriors, Frenchies, Prince, Triple Threats, Pink Bead Walt’s Worm, etc.
Streamers:
-Jigged Streamers #8-12: various patterns/colors, deadly fished on a tight-line/Euro rig, often sorts out bigger fish. Great to use as a clean-up fly after you nymph a run.
-Ice Picks (tan, gray, white, yellow): tied by Rich Strolis, a very nice single hook baitfish pattern
-Wooly Bugger #4-12: assorted colors, try also Don's Peach Bugger
-Zonker #4-6: a classic fish catcher! In white, natural
-BMAR Yellow Matuka #6: deadly fly! Also standard Matuka in olive, brown
-Zuddler #4-8: one of our favorites, in olive, white, brown, black
-Complex & Mini Twist Bugger #2-6: assorted colors, very effective