We have changed to Fall/Winter hours, 8am-5pm Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm on Saturday & Sunday.
Pictured up top is customer Chad with a handful of colored up holdover rainbow trout that is his new PB.
As of 9/1, the entire upper 21 miles of river from the dam in Riverton to the Rt 20 bridge in Unionville is catch & release until next spring.
We scored 4 boxes of unusually good used books in August, and we picked up a few dozen more books recently. Definitely some classics, collectibles, and autographed copies too. Everything has been processed, fairly priced, and is up on the shelves & walls. Come check it out, if you’re into books on fly fishing for trout, you should be able to find at least a book or two you like before they sell out.
We are starting are Fall/Winter store hours now, which means we will be open 8am-5pm, 7 days a week.
Dick Sablitz dropped off some sweet Isonychia soft hackles, check 'em out before they sell out.
Friday 9/20 morning Report:
While meteorological fall started on 9/1, on the calendar it officially starts on Sunday, 9/22. And Mother Nature seems to agree, as highs from today through most of next week will be 66-70, with nights in the upper 40’s/low 50’s. We are in a drought, but starting around Tuesday next week I see chances of showers/rain every day, and that’s a good thing. This cool down looks like it’s here to stay, and that should take care of any water temp issues we’ve been having lately on warmer, sunny afternoons. Water will continue to come out of the dam at about 64 degrees until the reservoir flips sometime in October, but cooler, cloudy weather means the water cools off as you move downstream from the dam, and rain will put some water back into the tributaries which will also help chill water temps down.
Flows remain low and below the median flow (107cfs total flow currently versus 155cfs historical median total flow), but certainly fishable as long as you are stealthy in your approach and match your rigging & flies to the conditions. The minimal water release is due to a lack of rainfall and a low level in the reservoir, do your rain dances please. The upside of low water is easier wading & access, easier to figure out where the trout are because you can eliminate a lot of the water, and lower flows encourage the trout to feed on the surface when there is a hatch. The downside is spookier fish, some spots become too shallow & slow to hold fish, water temps heat up faster, and it’s easier for predators like birds & water snakes to catch the trout. Dress in drab colors, use longer leaders (at least 12’), longer tippets (3-6’), stay low, stay a little further away, cast sidearm, and wade carefully so as not to send ripples into the pools. Also, in lower water on average you want to fish smaller flies, with some exception (morning Stoneflies, and Isonychia later in the day).
We are in that weird time of year when cool nights will start to mean lower water temps (especially in the mornings) as you move further downstream from the dam, and closer to Riverton will sometimes have higher water temps (depending upon weather). Mornings will give you the longest window of lower water temps, as long as you stay a ways downstream from Riverton (coming out of the dam at 64 degrees 24 hours a day right now, and then cooling down overnight as you move downstream away from the dam, plus the tributaries coming in are cooler now most of the time).
Total flow in the Permanent TMA/Catch & Release is low at 107cfs, historical median total flow for today would be 155cfs. Right below the dam in Riverton down to the Rt 20 bridge is 95cfs, and below that the Still River is only adding in 12cfs. 8am water temp at the Riverton Rt 20 bridge is 65 degrees, it peaked Thursday late afternoon just over 70 degrees. Cooler temps coming in starting now will cool things down as you move downstream away from the dam.
Remember that the upper 21 miles of river from the dam in Riverton down to the Rt 177 bridge in Unionville is now catch & release as of 9/1 until the second Saturday in April.
The USGS temperature gauge at the Rt 20 bridge in Riverton only tells part of the story. Water temps coming out of the dam usually creep into the low/mid 60’s at the end of the summer, and depending upon the weather and time of day it can rise or fall as you move downstream. Right around now the Still River, which is a warming influence in the peak of summer, begins to drop down in temp and becomes a cooling influence, as do the other tributaries. So as things cool off in September & October, the farther downstream you get from the dam, the cooler the water gets due to chilling at night and colder tributaries- the exact opposite of how things work in July/August, when the coldest water is up by the dam, the tribs run warm, and the lower river heats up. Bear in mind that a hot, sunny day will still drive afternoon water temps up to some degree, but with shorter days and the sun at a lower angle it has less effect than it did in the summer.
We are seeing more splashes of fall color every day, and even a few trout engaging in pre-spawn behavior and chasing each other around (FYI spawning won’t start until the second half of October). Fishing typically gets tougher in September due to increased water temps from the dam, which both slows down the hatches to some degree and also reduces the trout’s metabolism. Despite that, nice big trout are still being caught by some anglers, especially as you move downriver away from the dam where water temps are lower & hatches are better. Things will pick up as things cool down and we move into October.
Your best bets to catch fish here at the moment are normally first light until about noonish/early afternoon, and again when we get hatches later in the day (late afternoon until dark). The exception would be when we get Flying Ants on the water some afternoons. Mornings typically means Trico spinner falls (air temps 65-70 for that) on the upper river only (hatch is near the end), Summer/Winter Caddis, or nymphing the fast water with big Stonefly nymphs, smaller Caddis pupa, and small Mayfly-type nymphs. Afternoons can be tough, but if Flying Ants hit the water (they have been out most days), it can get the trout surface feeding actively. Some of the best dry fly fishing occurs between late afternoon and darkness (peaks at dusk), with the likely bugs being Isonychia #10-12 (in fast water), Caddis #18-22, Hebe/Yellow Quills #16-18, Light Cahills/Summer Stenos #12-18, and Blue Winged Olives #22-24. FYI Riverton has overall been slow for hatching in the eves, I’d go downstream of that for the best evening fishing. If you’re nymphing in the afternoons, think mostly small flies size 18 or smaller- an exception is Isonychia in #10-12 from about mid afternoon through dusk. Nymph the fast water, that’s where the Isonychia and many other bugs live.
The Farmington River was stocked 9/29 with about2,000 rainbow trout from below Rt 219 (the Wall) in New Hartford, downstream to Rt. 4 in Avon/Farmington. Freshly stocked trout will eat Woolly Buggers, Junk Flies (Mops, Squirmy/San Juan Worms, Egg flies, and Green Weenies), and nymphs with hot spots (Frenchies, Sexy Waltz, etc.). Various swung wet flies & soft hackles should work well too.
As of 9/1, the entire Farmington River from the dam in Riverton, downstream 21 miles to the Rt 177 bridge in Unionville became Catch & Release (C&R) until the second Saturday in April. Below the 177 bridge it remains 5 trout, 9” or bigger through February.
If you see a mayfly this time of year that looks like a #16-18 Sulfur, it’s likely a Hebe, also called a Yellow Quill. Formerly Heptagenia Hebe, now called Leucrocuta hebe. They are a late summer/early fall bug, typically active in the late afternoons & eves, and a Sulfur imitation will work for them. Normally a light hatch on this river, you also see a good hatch of them on the Housatonic River and the Delaware River system. Trico hatches (really it’s the spinner fall) are still good but near the end and confined to the upper river now. Air temps in the 65-70 degree range are what trigger the spinner to mate, lay eggs, and drop to the water.
There have been tiny Flying Ants out some days, we should be seeing them sporadically through September. Size varies, and they tend to be on the smaller side more often than not. We carry them here from #18-24. These are mating swarms and they don’t happen every day. The best conditions for them is a warm, sunny, muggy day that follows a day with some rain.
Tricos “hatches” are all about the morning spinner fall, and that normally happens when the air temp is about 68 degrees, give or take a few degrees. They mass in a ball up in the air above riffles, and then they fall to the water. Tricos are very small and average #22-24. Long leaders with long/light tippets will go a long way toward tipping the odds in your favor with these tiny flies. Trico hatches are near the end and confined to the upper river now. And speaking of small bugs, you may see #22-24 Olives in the afternoons & eves, especially on cloudy days.
August & September will see Yellow Sallies, which are almost like a mini Golden Stonefly and run about #14-18. You will sometimes see dozens of them on the downstream side of rocks in fast water, they crawl out just like the larger Stoneflies do. Typically, just like the big stoneflies, this is more of a nymphing thing than a dry fly game, but they do eat them on the surface sometimes. As I’ve mentioned before, with the exception of big stoneflies in the morning and big Iso nymphs later in the day, if you are nymphing it’s mostly #18 and smaller this time of year.
Large Golden Stoneflies are still 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 may be more appropriate.
Caddis typically hatch in the mid to late mornings, and 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.
FRAA trophy rainbows are still getting caught & released (mostly). They have been averaging about 5-7 pounds, and some are even bigger. A good amount of 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 (they are a bright yellow/orange color) and everybody targets them.
Be prepared to go subsurface with Caddis pupa, small Mayfly patterns, big Stoneflies, Isonychia nymphs (can also use big Pheasant Tails & Prince Nymphs to imitate them), Yellow Sally Stoneflies #14-18, wet flies/soft hackles, and streamers. Also try BWO nymphs #18-22, #12-20 Pheasant Tails/Frenchies and other assorted nymphs. Small nymphs #18-22 are often the ticket this time of year, with the fly size being more important than the exact pattern. Mops (cream, chartreuse) & 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- metallic 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:
-Tricos #22-26: Hatch is mostly confined to the upper river now, probably no further downstream than maybe Campground at the lowest. It’s all about the spinner fall, typically early to mid mornings when air temps hit 68 degrees, give or take a little. Use long leaders with long/light tippets.
-Flying Ants #18-24: on the water at some point many days in September, these are actually mating swarms. Sunny, humid afternoons are ideal for this.
-Isonychia #10-12: typically a late afternoon through dusk hatch in fast water, starts later on hot, sunny days. This bug brings some large trout to the surface in fast water later in the day. You can also blind fish it in likely looking water or use it in a Dry/Dropper rig.
-Assorted Caddis #14-22: averaging smaller (#18-22), hatching mid/late mornings, and come back in the eves to egg-lay
-Light Cahill/Summer Stenos #12-18: evenings at dusk
-Yellow Sally #16
-Hebe/Yellow Quill #16-18: a few, typically late afternoons to eves, look like Sulfurs and are imitated with standard Sulfur patterns
-Summer/Winter Caddis #18-24: hatching in early to mid morning, all year long
-Blue Wing Olive #22-26: cloudy afternoons, evenings too. In the eves fish small rusty spinners #22-26.
-Ants & Beetles #12-18: effective, especially midday when you have sporadic risers without any major hatch occuring
Nymphs & Wet Flies/Soft Hackles:
-Small Nymphs #18-22: frequently size is more important than the exact pattern, especially this time of year when most of the bugs are smaller. Generic bugs like Pheasant Tails/Frenchies, Hare’s Ears, Walt’s Worms, etc. all are good choices.
-Caddis Pupa #16-18 (tan)
-Isonychia Nymph #10-12: fish in fast water, mid afternoon through dusk. Try dead-drifting, swinging, and even stripping them in.
-Pheasant Tails/Frenchies #12-20: imitates a wide range of Mayflies including Isonychia, Blue Winged Olives, Sulfurs, 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 big fish.
-BMAR Isonychia Nymph #10-12: fish in fast water, mid afternoon through dusk
-Yellow Sally #14-18: active & hatching in August/September in fast water
-Wet Flies & Soft Hackles #12-16: assorted colors/patterns, try to imitate the main hatches, but 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. Especially effective after flow bumps and during high water.
-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. Olive, tan, white are effective colors here.
-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