8am-6pm Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm on Saturday & Sunday.
Pictured up top is former shop guy Brayson with a stud brown on a streamer over the weekend during a morning session.
Second pic is of world flyfishing champion Yannick Riviere. Antoine Bissieux, the “French Flyfisherman”, is bringing Yannick from France for several clinic days covering Euro-nymphing & secret French dry fly techniques in late July- contact Antoine directly to find out more about it. This is a do-not-miss! Yannick is truly a magician with the fly rod and seems to be able to catch Farmington trout at will (he’s been here twice so far) on nymphs & dry flies. He does things with dry flies that we had never seen or heard of. Yannick also has won the individual gold medal in the World Fly Fishing Championships before. Call Antoine at 860-759-4463 to find out more or sign up, spots are limited.
Tuesday 7/16 morning Flow Update:
A modest flow cut of 50cfs was made yesterday, putting the section in Riverton from the dam down to the Rt 20 bridge at 261cfs, and below that in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release (C&R) when you add in the Still River (37cfs), it brings the total flow to 298cfs- still a fantastic river level for fishing & wading. Water temps will remain nice & cold.
Monday 7/15 morning report:
If you are worried about the hot weather (90+ through Wednesday) and it’s effect on Farmington trout, fear not. The water is coming out of the bottom of the reservoir in the high 40’s, and this is keeping water temps trout-friendly right down through New Hartford & Canton. I wouldn’t go downstream of that though (Collinsville, Unionville), not until the weather cools back down. The 300cfs release from the dam also helps keep things cooler, and extends the cold water further downstream. From Canton to the dam water temps are averaging low 50’s to low 60’s, ideal for trout. Total flow in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release (C&R) is 346cfs, a great summertime level. Riverton is 315cfs from the dam down to the Rt 20 bridge, and the Still River is adding in 31cfs.
Hatches are diverse right now, and vary depending upon the section of river and time of day. Attenuata #18-20 are a major hatch on the mid to upper river. They are often mistaken for a Sulfur from a distance, Attenuata are an evening Mayfly hatch with a bright lime green body with cream wings & legs. Sulfurs are still going from about Whittemore up to the dam in Riverton, and we are seeing mostly #18’s. Isonychia are hatching in the fast water. Typically in the Permanent TMA, Isonychia are a late afternoon to evening hatch, but sometimes earlier especially up in Riverton closer to the dam in the icy cold water. They run #8-12 this time of year and average about a #10. Iso’s live & hatch in faster water, so look for them there, not in flat pool water. Needhami #22-26 are going, they are a morning hatch and both the duns & spinners are important. The spinners fall earlier in the morning, with the duns hatching during and/or after that. We are also seeing assorted Caddis, various Light Cahills, and small Blue Wing Olives (more on cloudy & rainy days). This is also a greattime of year to fish Ants & Beetles, especially when you have sporadic risers but no real hatch.
Large Golden Stoneflies are crawling out on the rocks to emerge between first light and mid mornings, they run from about a #4 down to a #12. Imitate them with #8-12 nymphs in the fast water, big trout key in on them. They will be active & emerging from June through October. Look for their empty shucks on protruding rocks in fast water, you’ll also see a bunch on concrete bridge abutments. Fishing these big nymphs will net you some bigger fish, especially if you fish the fast water from first light to mid-morning (until about 10am). You can beef your tippet up when fishing bigger bugs like this for bigger trout- 4x to 5x is not to heavy, and if you have a really big trout located, 3x will probably work well.
Wet fly/soft hackle guys are putting fish in the net, and streamers are producing early & late in the day. Caddis typically come back later in the day to egg-lay in the riffles areas where they dump into the pools, and they typically hatch in the morning (can be afternoons up closer to the dam due to the colder water temps there). Trout normally feed on the pupa during the hatch, not so much the adults- this can mean anything from nymphing pupa near the bottom, to swinging pupa/wet flies/soft-hackles mid column, or dead-drifting pupa in the surface film. Dry/dropper with a Caddis dry and a pupa fished 6-12” below it can be effective during the hatch. You get more of the classic dry fly fishing with Caddis dries during the evening egg-laying events.
The state has done multiple stockings up & down the river, the fish density is currently very high between stocked, holdover & wild trout. They put in a lot of fat 14-16” rainbows, some are 17” and over 2 pounds. Many of the FRAA trophy rainbows are getting caught. They literally have been averaging about 5-7 pounds. Many trout are holding in faster water now: riffles, faster runs, and pocket water. Also the FRAA put in 18 large Golden Rainbows, and you will see them here & there, along with the leftover ones in the upper river from the Riverton Derby in early April. They are always a challenge to catch because they stick out like a sore thumb and everybody targets them.
Be prepared to go subsurface with Caddis pupa, small Mayfly patterns, big Stoneflies, Sulfur nymphs, Isonychia nymphs, wet flies/soft hackles, and streamers. Also try BWO nymphs #16-22 (especially on overcast days), #12-20 Pheasant Tails/Frenchies and other assorted nymphs. Small nymphs #18-22 are often the ticket in July, with the fly size being more important than the exact pattern. Cream Mops & Squirmy Worms (pink, red) 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 more imitative patterns. They can also be good during non-hatch periods. Don’t neglect attractor nymphs that have flash, fluorescent colors, UV, or gaudy colors- pink beaded nymphs are very effective.
The new Thomas & Thomas Avantt II fly rods arrived in March, and they have really impressed us. Slightly more flex in the tip, but still plenty of power in the mid & lower sections, with fantastic crisp recovery and a low swing weight.
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Hatches/Dries:
-Sulfur #18 (Dorothea): Riverton, from about Whittemore up to the dam
-Isonychia #10-12: typically a late afternoon through dusk hatch in fast water, starts later on hot, sunny days. July is normally the peak month for Iso's in the Permanent TMA/C&R.
-Attenuata #18-20: Often mistaken for a Sulfur, but it's a bright lime green and smaller. Typically in the evenings, but sometimes in the afternoon as you get closer to the dam.
-Light Cahill/Summer Stenos#12-20: eves, but can pop in the afternoons on the mid/upper river
-Ants & Beetles #12-18: very effective, especially when you have sporadic risers without any major hatch occuring
-Blue Wing Olive #20-24: cloudy afternoons, eves too sometimes
-Summer/Winter Caddis #18-24: hatching in early to mid morning, all year long
-Needhami #22-26: mornings, spinners & duns
Nymphs & Wet Flies/Soft Hackles:
-Small Nymphs #18-22: often size is more important than the exact pattern, especially in July & August when most of the bugs are smaller. Pheasant Tails, Hare’s Ears, etc.
-Sulfur Nymph #18: can use specific imitations, also Frenchies/Pheasant Tails are effective
-Caddis Pupa #16-18 (tan, olive/green)
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies #12-20: imitates a wide range of Mayflies including Sulfurs, Isonychia, Blue Winged Olives and more
-Stonefly #8-12: excellent in early to mid mornings when they crawl out in low light onto the rocks to emerge in fast water. They emerge from June through October on the Farmington River, and can produce some bigger fish.
-Isonychia Nymph #10-12: fish in fast water
-Wet Flies & Soft Hackles #12-16: assorted colors/patterns, try to imitate the main hatches and also use flashy attractor patterns
-Junk Flies (Eggs, Mops, Squirmy Worms, Green Weenie)
-Blue Winged Olive Nymphs #16-22, good all year, common item in the drift
-Zebra Midge #18-22: black, olive, red
-Winter/Summer Caddis Larva #18 (yellow): can also imitate Midge larva
-Caddis Larva (olive to green) #14-16: lots of these in the river
-Cased Caddis #12-14: underfished pattern, abundant in the Farmington
-Attractor Nymphs #14-20: such as Sexy Waltz, Rainbow Warriors, Frenchies, Prince, Triple Threats, Pink Bead Walt’s Worm, Pink Bead Pheasant Tails, etc. Often work better than drabber, more imitative flies.
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